It's Brain Surgery
Welcome to It’s Brain Surgery, where we explore the mental, physical, and philosophical tools that help high performers thrive in high-stakes, uncomfortable, and uncertain parts of life.
I’m Dr. Andrew Brunswick, a neurosurgeon, athlete, and wellness advocate sharing first-hand insights from the operating room and the training ground. Here you’ll find conversations, strategies, and tools to help you:
•Strengthen your mindset 🧘
•Optimize physical and mental performance 💪
•Improve recovery and resilience 🔄
•Learn practical lessons from real neurosurgery stories 🧠
•Explore the latest in fitness, mindfulness, and wellness 🌱
Expect weekly podcast episodes, in-depth explainers, and highlight clips featuring guests ranging from doctors and elite athletes to thought leaders in mindset and recovery.
If you’re passionate about neurosurgery, health, fitness, mindset training, or unlocking peak human potential, you’re in the right place.
👉 Subscribe now and join a growing community of high achievers committed to mastering both body and mind.
Episodes
12 episodes
Finding Joy in the Grind with LadySpineDoc
What does it really look like to build a meaningful life in one of the most demanding professions in the world?In this episode of It’s Brain Surgery, Andrew Brunswick sits down with Dr. Betsy Grunch, board-certified neurosurgeon, resear...
How a Neurosurgeon Stays Human with Dr. Howard Weiner
Dr. Howard Weiner is one of the most respected pediatric neurosurgeons in the country — Chief of Neurosurgery and Endowed Chair at Texas Children’s Hospital, and Professor at Baylor College of Medicine. But titles barely scratch the surface of ...
The REAL Sauna Experience: What Finland Knows That We Don’t
Most of us think of a sauna as just “a hot room.”In Finland, it’s a way of life, a ritual, a community practice, and surprisingly a powerful tool for training the mind.In this episode of It’s Brain Surgery, Dr. Andrew Bru...
The Only Neurosurgeon in Sierra Leone: Dr. Alieu Kamara’s Fight to Save Lives
Imagine being the only neurosurgeon in a country of over 8 million people. No backup. Limited equipment. Families raising money before life-saving surgery can begin. That is Dr. Alieu Kamara’s daily reality in Sierra Leone.In this episo...
How Boredom Shapes the Brain with Dr. James Danckert
Cognitive neuroscientist Dr. James Danckert joins me to unpack what boredom really is, why the brain evolved it, and how to respond to it in a healthy, purposeful way. We dig into trait boredom proneness, addiction-like phone use, kids and scre...
How to Build a Life You Don’t Need a Break From | Eric Hinman on Discipline, Mindset & Resilience
Elite athlete, entrepreneur, and wellness advocate Eric Hinman has built a life around training, recovery, and community — but his real strength isn’t just physical. It’s mental.In this episode of It’s Brain Surgery, host Andrew Brunswi...
Resilience Under Fire with Dr Brian Hoeflinger
What do you do when life shatters everything you thought you knew? Dr. Brian Hoeflinger a neurosurgeon who has faced unimaginable loss shares how he found strength, meaning, and purpose through tragedy.In this powerful conversation, we ...
What It’s Really Like Being Married to a Neurosurgeon | The Truth About Sacrifice, Isolation & Love
What does it really take to build a life alongside someone chasing one of the most demanding careers in medicine?In this powerful episode, Dr. Andrew Brunswick sits down with his wife, Rebecca, to have an unfiltered conversation about w...
Protecting the Asset with Mel Thacker | Perfectionism, Burnout & the Hidden Costs of Being a Surgeon
In this powerful episode of ItsBrainSurgery, ENT surgeon and mindset coach Mel Thacker opens up about hitting rock bottom after the pandemic stripped away her identity as a surgeon — and how that led to an awakening.She talks about the ...
The Stoic Way to a Better Life with William B. Irvine
In this mind-expanding episode of ItsBrainSurgery, we sit down with acclaimed stoic philosopher and bestselling author William B. Irvine to explore how ancient wisdom can transform modern lives. Irvine shares actionable insights from Stoicism —...
8 Stoic Tools for Neurosurgery & Life
What do you do when everything goes wrong, in life, in surgery, in the chaos of your own mind?In this raw and powerful solo episode of ItsBrainSurgery, a neurosurgeon shares the 8 Stoic tools that helped him navigate grief, burnou...