The Neuroscience of Women’s Leadership: Why Self-Advocacy Can Feel Wrong

Why can self-advocacy feel wrong, even when a woman’s contribution is clear? In Part 2 of the Women’s Leadership Series, Dr. Irena O’Brien and Silvia Causo explore how visibility, praise, and claiming one’s work can register as risk in the nervous system, not just reluctance or lack of confidence. Through a neuroscience- and trauma-informed lens, Irena and Silvia explore why self-advocacy can feel like exposure, why “the work will speak for itself” often stops working at senior levels, and why the body may signal risk before the mind can explain it. This conversation is especially relevant for coaches, women leaders, and helping professionals who want a deeper and more compassionate understanding of why self-minimizing, deflecting praise, or struggling to own their achievements can persist even at senior levels. “The purpose of the brain is to keep us safe and surviving. And the brain doesn’t differentiate between actual danger and emotional danger.” — Dr. Irena O’Brien “For many women, putting themselves forward is not a neutral experience. It can feel like exposure.”— Silvia Causo Guest Bio: Silvia Causo is a trauma-informed coach and energetic realignment facilitator who supports visionary leaders and changemakers to release the mental, emotional, and energetic blocks that limit their fullest expression of power and purpose. Her work moves beyond traditional coaching, bridging neuroscience, somatic healing, and energetic attunement to create profound transformation at every level of being. Through her high-touch, deeply intuitive approach, Silvia helps leaders reconnect to their inner coherence, the state where clarity, confidence, and authenticity naturally arise. Silvia is also the co-founder of Lead & Belong, a pioneering collaboration with writer and scholar Adrianne Arendse. Together, they explore the intersections of leadership, culture, and embodied healing, guiding organisations and individuals to move beyond performative inclusion toward genuine connection, collective wellbeing, and regenerative impact. At the heart of Silvia's work is a simple yet radical set of beliefs: that deep self-awareness is the path to true freedom, authentic belonging is what we all seek, and true power emerges when we self-lead from integrated wholeness rather than fragmentation. Her presence invites both safety and expansion, a rare balance that allows transformation to unfold not through force, but through resonance. Host Bio: Dr. Irena O'Brien teaches coaches and care professionals how to achieve better results for their clients through neuroscience. She is the founder of Neuroscience School, which helps practitioners understand and apply insights from cutting-edge neuroscience research. She loves seeing her students gain confidence in their ability to evaluate neuroscience findings and use them successfully in their own practices. Her Certificate Program in Neuroscience is certified by the International Coaching Federation (ICF) for Continuing Coaching Education credit. Dr. O'Brien has studied neuroscience for 25 years and holds a Ph.D. in the field from the Université du Quebec à Montréal (UQAM), where she did brain-imaging studies. She completed her postdoctoral fellowship at the Centre for Language, Mind, and Brain at McGill University. Resources mentioned in this episode: Mirasee Dr. Irena O'Brien’s website: The Neuroscience School Silvia’s website: www.SilviaCauso.com Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/silviaannacauso/ Credits: Host: Dr. Irena O’Brien Producer: Michi Lantz Audio Editor: Marvin del Rosario Executive Producer: Danny Iny Music Soundscape: Chad Michael Snavely Making our hosts sound great: Home Brew Audio Music credits: Track Title: Sneaker Smeaker Artist: Avocado Junkie Writer: Sander Kalmeijer Publisher: A SOUNDSTRIPE PRODUCTION Track Title: Coo Coos Artist: Dresden, The Flamingo Writer: Matthew Wigton Publisher: A SOUNDSTRIPE PRODUCTION Track Title: In This Light Artist: Sounds Like Sander Writer: Sander Ka