"Overwhelm, Not Laziness: Understanding and Overcoming Shutdown" explores the crucial difference between laziness and being overwhelmed. The podcast explains how overwhelming stress causes our executive function to shut down as a protective mechanism, creating a cycle of inaction and self-criticism. It provides a practical four-step plan to break free from overwhelm, including self-compassion techniques, stress identification strategies, brain first aid methods, and nervous system reboot practices. Additionally, it offers preventative measures like daily emotion check-ins, stress release routines focused on movement, nature, creativity, and connection, as well as boundary-setting skills to build resilience against future overwhelm. Throughout, the podcast emphasizes that overwhelm is a universal experience and encourages readers to approach themselves with kindness rather than judgment.

Overwhelm, Not Laziness: Understanding and Overcoming Shutdown

Read the transcript, https://kesslerfoundation.org/sites/default/files/2025-10/Thinking%20Through%20MS-How%20Cognition%20Shapes%20Daily%20Life-TRANSCRIPT.pdf

In this episode, we explore groundbreaking research from Kessler Foundation that reveals how subtle cognitive changes in people with multiple sclerosis can have a profound impact on daily life. Dr. Yael Goverover, a visiting scientist and professor of occupational therapy at NYU, shares insights from her studies linking executive function, memory, and attention to everyday tasks like managing finances, taking medications, and navigating online platforms. Her work is helping to develop innovative tools and strategies that empower individuals with MS to maintain independence and improve quality of life—by making cognition not just measurable, but truly understood.

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Kessler Foundation Investigators:
Lead: Yael Goverover, PhD, OTR/L, https://kesslerfoundation.org/about-us/foundation-staff/Yael%20Goverover

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TO LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR RESEARCH: 
Read the full study, doi.org/10.1186/s12984-025-01636-6

Read this newsletter at https://kesslerfoundation.org/2025-fall-ms-newsletter

READ all our Milestone newsletters:
https://kesslerfoundation.org/publication-archives#block-kessler-views-block-multiple-sclerosis-newsletter-block-1-2

LISTEN to all our Milestone newsletter podcasts:
https://soundcloud.com/kesslerfoundation/sets/milestones-multiple-sclerosis

EXPLORE our multiple sclerosis research:
https://kesslerfoundation.org/researchcenter-neuropsychology-and-neuroscience-research/ms/multiple-sclerosis

PARTICIPATE:
Interested in participating in our research remotely or in-person? Go to https://kesslerfoundation.org/MSresearchstudies

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Join our listeners in 90 countries who enjoy learning about the work of Kessler Foundation. Subscribe to our SoundCloud channel, “KesslerFoundation,” for more research updates.

This podcast was recorded, produced, and edited by Joan Banks-Smith, Creative Producer at Kessler Foundation in July 2025.

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Kessler Foundation uses AI voices and narrators to make our media more accessible. These tools help ensure people with visual or cognitive impairments can access our materials. Automated voices may not always capture intonation or pronunciation as clearly as the accompanying text. If you experience issues with our AI narrators, please contact us at communications@kesslerfoundation.org.

Thinking Through MS-How Cognition Shapes Daily Life

Kessler Foundation - Changing the lives of people with disabilities through research in stroke, brain injury, multiple sclerosis,  spinal cord injury and by funding innovative programs that promote employment for people with disabilities. Podcasts are from various consumer and professional lectures   presented by our researchers and guest lecturers.

New tracks tagged #executive function