I’m thrilled to have joined these #Powerhouse women to discuss #HealthandWellness in the Esports and Gaming industries at Femme Gaming’s #LadiesPowerHour. Hosted by Camille S., Esports Host of the Year, the event brought together an incredible panel of leaders including Beth Im-Jenkins from OverActive Media, Jihan Johnston, M.Ed. from BeatBotics, and Dr. Maria C. Bruce from NCN Esports Management. Together, we explored how mental health, performance psychology, and wellness practices are reshaping the competitive gaming landscape and supporting the next generation of players and creators
“Celebrating International Women’s Day 2021” was a dynamic Clubhouse event bringing together an inspiring panel of accomplished women from diverse fields. The conversation featured 3x Emmy Award–winning actress Sarah Joy Brown, The Difference founder Bea Arthur, Zendesk VP of Startups Kristen Durham, model and photographer Zosia Prominska, Dr. Maria C. Bruce (MD/Psychotherapist), Director of Fragrance Development Jorgelina Propato, Google Senior Manager Tanya Wacyk-Barker, and international singer/songwriter Coral Campopiano. The event highlighted themes of leadership, creativity, and resilience—celebrating the power of women who continue to break barriers and redefine success across industries.
We’re excited to share that Optimalist, our mental health optimizing app, was selected as a finalist at the Latinas in Tech Startup Competition—an event celebrating innovation, leadership, and impact across the tech industry.
The Peak Performance and Biofeedback Workshop with the Pumas 7s explored how HRV biofeedback can enhance performance by improving focus, emotional regulation, and recovery. The session discussed strategies such as using controlled breathing to manage stress in high-pressure moments, maintaining accuracy and concentration during play, and learning to let go of mistakes or unfavorable referee calls to stay present in the game. Other key themes included lowering distractions, sustaining composure under pressure, and understanding how physiological awareness can support mental clarity and decision-making throughout competition.
Featured in Sebastián Campanario’s book, Revolución Senior.
Have you ever looked back on a relationship after a breakup and felt you should’ve seen the end coming sooner? Of course you have—it’s way easier to spot all of the relationship red flags once you’re actually out of the relationship. Still, relationship experts say there are often signs that spell trouble that you can catch early on. Here’s what to look for to save yourself the heartache.
Name-calling
It’s one thing to be angry with your partner and another to hear “You’re so stupid!” when you’re fighting, says Maria Bruce, a licensed mental health counselor. This typically indicates a lack of respect from one or both parties. This is a major relationship red flag, especially if you haven’t been dating that long.
Using HRV biofeedback with golf university students helps them develop greater emotional regulation, focus, and consistency under pressure. By learning to monitor and control their physiological responses—such as heart rate variability—they become more aware of how stress, concentration, and breathing affect performance. Through guided breathing and feedback exercises, students train their nervous system to maintain composure during high-stakes moments, improving shot accuracy, recovery between holes, and overall mental resilience both on and off the course.
“These are children trying to understand and fit into an adult world,” observes Maria Bruce, LMHC, a New York–based licensed psychotherapist who specializes in working with high-achieving adolescents and adults, including athletes, dancers, and actors. Bruce says that the models she’s counseled struggle to navigate the mixed signals they get on the job. “They’re told to ‘grow up’ if they complain that they’re tired,” she says, “and yet in other ways they’re already treated as grown-ups.” This confusion, she says, leads teen models to feel too uncertain of their own authority to say no when they encounter dicey situations. Some muster the courage to speak up; most shut down.
“The teenage brain is sensitive to overload,” Bruce explains. “And some of the possible psychological consequences of dealing with these stressors include low self-esteem, obsessive-compulsive disorders, anxiety, and depression.”
Congratulations to the Pumas 7s for their outstanding performance at the Rugby Sevens World Cup in San Francisco. Their grit, teamwork, and relentless spirit on the field were truly inspiring, showcasing the discipline and heart that define Argentine rugby. Competing at this level demands not only physical excellence but also mental strength, and the Pumas 7s demonstrated both with remarkable composure and passion. Their performance was a testament to their dedication and to the pride they bring to representing Argentina on the world stage.
Entrevista con Silvia Perez en Radio Nacional AM 870
