Personality & The Brain: Why You Feel What You Feel

The question of who we are is one of the most frequently posed questions of human kind. This is the focus of this course. This course will focus on gaining a deeper understanding about who you are by shedding light on why we feel what we feel – and why we do what we do. This question will be addressed from a neuroscientific point of view.

In the first part of this course, you will gain insight into the processes that drive our decisions. Each decision we take is driven by a fast decision process, which is often called the more emotional part of our decision. Besides this fast process, our decisions are also influenced by a slower process, often referred to as the more rational part of our decision. Based on theory and practice, you will learn about the different brain structures that are related to these different processes. As these brain structures all operate in a particular manner, it will be explained which factors influence these structures and how we can actively steer our own decisions.

Our decision process is closely related to our personality, which is the topic of the second part of this course. In this part, we will focus on the emotional part of our decision process and how this is related to our unique personality. The emotions that drive us are a result of our unique personality. You will be introduced into one of the most widely accepted and researched biopsychological personality theories. Insights will be given into how our personality traits are anchored in the brain and how they influence our motivations, decisions, and behaviors. These insights will be used to take it one step further: How you can deal with unwanted emotions that block you in reaching your own life goals. In this context, practice and mindfulness will play a central role. It will be shown how mindfulness can help you flourish in your uniqueness and walk your own life path.

I believe in learning by interacting with the content. Please feel free to interact and share your ideas in the classroom.

The intro and meditation music was designed by the talented Ranghild Maria Mao. The background music for the meditation is called "We are one". Ranghild is a teacher here on Insight Timer and I highly recommend her.

I look forward to meeting you in the classroom.

Reviews

Thank you . I am gonne practise the self regulation 🙏

This is not like other courses I've taken on I.T., but it appeased my analytical mind, and I've learned a few new things! Thank you!

Very insightful, I felt like your were reading a page out of my journal when you described Jim's day. I loved hearing your thoughts on bridging the island so we can better understand others emotions. Thank you so much!

Very informative and helpful! Thank you for helping me wrangle my brain 💕

I did not want this course to end so luckily I can return to it repeatedly. The information shared and manner of presenting it has made such a profound impact on me - both in understanding the past and looking forward to the future. Thank you 🙏

Really interesting to understand how these various systems interact and compete to drive our thoughts and actions and how mindfulness can break the impulsive responses and allow more thoughtful and confident consideration.

This course was very helpful in my understanding of how the brain functions and how that affects my personality.

Wonderful explanations of how the mind/brain operates in decision making. Thank you.

Dear Karolien, your courses have helped me so much in understanding my anxiety. Knowing how my physiology is working has helped me take a more productive and less reactive approach to dealing with it. The explanation of the BIS and BAS has also given me tools to understand my self-sabotage and steps I can take to overcome it. And finally…your lovely voice and warmth are extremely comforting and welcoming. Thank you so much for the work you do. 🙏🏼

I love learning from you. Each time builds upon the last and I’m growing in relation. Thank you 🙏🏻

Great course. Very helpful and extremely well presented my Karolein.

Wow! Great teachings and great teacher! It helped me remember that change is possible and that I chose what to cultivate more of. Thank you so much!

This is an excellent course, explaining complicated processes in an easy-to-understand language. Very useful for our self knowledge. Thank you very much, Karolien! 🙏🏽🙏🏽🧡

You are so clear and lovely. Thanks for sharing all this knowledge in such a warm way.
❤️🙏🏽🙂

I love this instructor. She’s great at making sense of complex information. She’s takes the neuroscience and makes it practical and user friendly. In this course we were able to benefit from learning more how our brains work. We also gained new levels of awareness of how we and others operate in the world.
Also- in addition to bring a great scholar, I feel like the course content and her commrntd in the classroom show she truly cares about human beings. 😊

Thank you for sharing your gifts with all of us. Your teaching stories are wonderful.

Very interesting, thoroughly enjoyed the course! 👍🏻

Another helpful light, shining on the path back to my kind, wise, calm inner self. Thank you Karolien again.

An eye-opening journey through the areas of the brain that steer us through out lives 🙏🏼

Very interesting, clear, and well organized! A sequence of well articulated and accessible connections between neuroscience and personality types. Thank you!