Dorsey Standish
Mechanical Engineer, Neuroscientist & Mental Wellness Entrepreneur
Dorsey Standish
Mechanical Engineer, Neuroscientist & Mental Wellness Entrepreneur
Biography
Dorsey Standish is a mechanical engineer, neuroscientist, wellness expert, and CEO of Mastermind, who brings evidence-based mindfulness and emotional intelligence to clients worldwide.
Her personal mission is to help Type A people like herself slow down, destress, and optimize their performance through mindfulness-based brain health training.
Dorsey’s keynotes inspire audiences through a mix of groundbreaking neuroscience research, relatable storytelling and practical mindfulness tips for high performers who think they are “too busy” to meditate.
Dorsey has spoken to audiences including Staples, Toyota, Meta, Pier One, and American Airlines. Dorsey holds a master’s degree in Cognitive Neuroscience from the University of Texas at Dallas and a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Pennsylvania. Dorsey’s teachings draw on her training as a teacher of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction through Brown University and deep experience on regular 7-day silent meditation retreats.
While Dorsey has studied with meditation masters, she believes that her best mindfulness teachers are her beautiful wife and two young sons.
Speaker Videos
Work with Mastermind CEO & Keynote Speaker Dorsey Standish for Your Next Event
Dorsey Standish's Keynote Speaker Reel
Speech Topics
The New Humanity: Rebuilding Presence, Resilience & Real Connection in an Age of Overwhelm
In a world built for speed, efficiency, and constant digital engagement, the human nervous system is overwhelmed—and our brain health is paying the price. Anxiety, exhaustion, and disconnection are rising worldwide, not because we’re doing life “wrong,” but because we’re living in conditions our brains were never designed for.
In this science-backed and story-driven keynote, Dorsey Standish explores how modern demands—from nonstop notifications to the race toward AI-powered productivity—are reshaping our attention, emotions, and relationships. And she offers a hopeful path forward.
Through neuroscience, Blue Zones research, and practical tools, Dorsey reveals how we can restore brain health by returning to the fundamentals: calm, presence, and meaningful human connection—both inward and outward. Participants will leave with simple, repeatable practices to support mental well-being at work, at home, and in daily life.
Key Learning Outcomes
- Understand how chronic stress, digital overload, and high-pressure work environments impact brain health—eroding attention, emotional regulation, and resilience.
- Learn why recovery and real human connection are biological necessities for thriving today, supported by insights from neuroscience and Blue Zones research.
- Walk away with accessible, science-backed tools to reset the nervous system and strengthen real-life connection across personal and professional settings.
Rise Above: Building Mental Strength & Resilience
Through stories, science, and experiential exercises, Dorsey will equip you with new tools for stress resilience, productivity, and overall well-being. This interactive session will include education around the neuroscience of stress and resilience, evidence-based strategies to manage acute and chronic stressors, and short guided wellness exercises to regulate the central nervous system. Participants will connect with focus and inspiration during the session and leave energized, with actionable strategies they can implement daily to support their mental strength and resilience.
Key Learning Objectives Include:
- Connect the neuroscience of stress and resilience to lived experiences to allow for greater self-awareness
- Unlock the evidence-based Three R’s for Resilience framework to Recognize stress, Reframe stressors, and Reset the central nervous system
- Build a personal inner toolkit of 1-minute resilience exercises to use throughout the day to improve mental strength
Burnout Proof: Proactive Strategies for Energy & Engagement
Learn accessible, evidence-based approaches to take ownership of your well-being so that you can not only prevent burnout, but also thrive at work and in life. This interactive and experiential session will demystify the concept of burnout by sharing psychologist Herbert Freudenberger's three-part framework, with a specific focus on understanding emotional exhaustion and its disproportionate impact on managers and caregivers. From this solid scientific understanding, you will explore best practices for combatting burnout by connecting with personal agency and purpose, and defusing stress and strong emotions through mini breaks and extended restoration periods. This presentation is grounded in the latest scientific research and offers practical, evidence-based strategies to check in with current stress and burnout levels, relieve exhaustion, promote self-care, and boost resilience against future stressors.
Key Learning Objectives Include:
- Demystify burnout by connecting Dr. Herbert Freudenberger’s three-part framework with lived experiences to allow for greater self-awareness and self-compassion
- Combat burnout through a strong sense of purpose and personal agency
- Complete the stress cycle with short, evidence-based practices to siphon off emergent stress and protect against burnout
Master Your Mind: Mindfulness for Mental Health
Dorsey is on a mission to make mindfulness and mental health accessible for all people, including Type A people like herself. Journey with Dorsey as she weaves together her own story of overcoming burnout, the latest neuroscience research, and relaxing experiential mindset practices to equip you with new mindful tools for mental strength and resilience. Get ready to get out of your head and into the present moment as Dorsey empowers you to embrace mindfulness as the cornerstone of your mental health journey.
Key Learning Objectives Include:
- Debunk the top three mindfulness myths that prevent you from starting or sustaining a mindfulness practice for mental health
- Simplify the way you think about mental wellness by focusing on self-awareness as the conduit for it
- Curate a personal action plan for 1-2 “Mindful Minutes” per day to support your mental health