Welcome!
Your brain and body work seamlessly together and when they are both healthy, you feel calmer, get sick less often, and can deal with life’s challenges.
At Fit Brain, our goal is to help you achieve a healthier brain-body by taking more control over your stress response. Let us show you science-backed tools to manage stress in the moment and build resilience for dealing with stress in the future.
Our offerings integrate five key concepts that are essential for managing stress and building resilience.
Check out our You Tube channel! https://www.youtube.com/@fbmahonebay
Is it really stressful?: The stress response is absolutely essential for survival and yet when it’s activated too much or too often it is unhealthy. Using different techniques to step back and assess a situation that may be stressful allows us to take control of our response.
Paying attention: Being present in the moment allows us to prevent our thoughts from running away uncontrollably and increasing our stress.
Nurturing your creative side: The brain craves the simultaneous concentration and peace that comes with being creative.
Being active in nature: Experiencing nature and being active is like a two for one deal - both tell the brain everything is good and reduce stress.
Your gut feeds your brain: If you want a healthy brain that can deal with stress, be good to your gut.
about us
Tara Perrot
I have a PhD in Neuroscience and have spent over 30 years studying stress in my professional life as a scientist and active researcher (https://www.scientia.global/professor-tara-perrot-how-the-early-environment-influences-stress-responses-in-adulthood). I am most interested in the effects of stress early in life on disease later on and how managing stress during pregnancy and early life can have life-long beneficial effects. Over the years I’ve also become interested in the connection between the gut and brain. I am a certified yoga instructor and a master gardener, reflecting two personal passions. I love being active outdoors but also enjoy being in my kitchen.
bio.site/fitbrain
Jessica peterson
I recently graduated from Dalhousie University with a Bachelor's of Science with Honours in Psychology. I enjoy spending time outdoors, typically near the ocean or hiking in the woods. I love connecting with my loved ones, which typically involves cooking and lots of laughing
My interest in managing stress stemmed from my own difficulty navigating stress while attending Dalhousie, volunteering, and working while trying to maintain a personal life. When I took the time to educate myself about stress, I found effective strategies to put into practice and reduce my stress. Working with Fit Brain is truly a full circle moment and has been a great way for me to help individuals empower themselves to understand what stress is, why we feel it, and how to navigate stressful situations!
Laura eisner
I graduated with a Bachelor of Science with Honours in Psychology from Dalhousie University in 2023. I am currently working as a Research Assistant with Families Overcoming Risks and Building Opportunities for Well-Being (FORBOW) and am also a Child and Youth Care Worker with Key Assets Nova Scotia.
During my spare time, I love exploring the beaches and hiking trails of Nova Scotia. I enjoy camping and hope to spend my summer kayaking with friends and family.
My initial gateway into child development stemmed from working with my local daycare in high school, and I became interested in understanding the behaviour of children and seeking ways to help with their best psychological development. Through my time at FORBOW I have become passionate about how early life stressors can precede and predict mental illness. Working with Fit Brain is such an exciting opportunity to combine both my interests and to pass on effective strategies to help build resilience by helping individuals build a toolkit to help navigate stressful situations and regain control of the stress in their lives!
kitkat
Kitkat is 11 years old and our mascot. He lives on a beautiful property in Martin’s River where he enjoys nature every day. He is naturally on high alert and easily spooked, but that just helps him be safer on his daily adventures.
More about Fit Brain: We do not provide professional psychological services. Information provided is backed by science and has been vetted for accuracy to the best of our ability.