Mind & Life Podcast

Jyoti Mishra – Mindfulness and Climate Trauma

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April 18, 2024

View or download a transcript of this episode

In this episode, Wendy speaks with neuroscientist and mental health researcher Jyoti Mishra. Jyoti has been investigating how mindfulness and attention training affect our brains, and can help in the context of mental health challenges related to climate disasters and other trauma. This conversation covers many topics, including:

Jyoti Mishra, PhD
  • her intertwined interests in neuroscience, meditation, and mental health;
  • understanding climate trauma and its unique impacts on mental health;
  • community resilience and action in the face of disaster;
  • the rise of mental health issues worldwide;
  • studying the mental health and brain function impacts of the deadliest fire in CA history;
  • healing broken relationships with nature through mindfulness and ecotherapy;
  • social justice issues around climate vulnerability;
  • how childhood adversity affects brain circuitry for emotional awareness;
  • developing contemplative tech interventions for disadvantaged youth, and impacts on brain and daily life functioning;
  • nature and the sense of self;
  • regulating the stress response through mindfulness and social connection;
  • and empowering youth through the Climate Change & Mental Health Initiative.

Jyoti Mishra, PhD, is trained in the computational, cognitive, and translational neurosciences. She is the founder of the Neural Engineering & Translation Labs (NEATLabs) at the University of California – San Diego. Her lab innovates digital technologies for scalable brain health mapping, monitoring, and precision therapeutics. Jyoti’s interdisciplinary research interests are at the intersection of neuroscience and digital engineering, integrating machine learning methods to support evidence-based tech solutions that are accessible to diverse communities. Overall, her aim is to address important societal challenges including mental and behavioral health and well-being, particularly depression, as well as resilience in the context of climate change. NEATLabs research has been featured in the Washington Post, TIME magazine, NPR, The Hill, the World Economic Forum, Scientific American, Neuroscience News, and others outlets.

Resources

Faculty page at UCSD
Lab website