dr. teralyn sell, phd | brain health + cognitive performance
Your Brain Is Behind Everything You Do.
Your brain shapes how you think, learn, reason, make decisions, and perform. Its health depends on both biological foundations and the cognitive abilities you develop throughout life.
I bring 25 years of experience in psychology together with biological brain health and cognitive science to help people understand, develop, and protect their cognitive capacity.
dr. teralyn sell, phd | brain health + cognitive performance
Your Brain Is Behind Everything You Do.
Your brain shapes how you think, learn, reason, make decisions, and perform. Its health depends on both biological foundations and the cognitive abilities you develop throughout life.
I bring 25 years of experience in psychology together with biological brain health and cognitive science to help people understand, develop, and protect their cognitive capacity.
Trusted by physicians & clinicians for brain health guidance. Featured in
THE DIFFERENCE IS IN THE QUESTIONS
An explanation isn’t the same as an answer.
Someone tells you your fatigue is depression. Your difficulty concentrating is ADHD. Your declining memory is just aging.
Maybe. But what else has been considered?
Sleep. Nutrition. Metabolic health. Medication effects. Your history. The demands you’re carrying.
And here’s another question: Are we only looking for what’s wrong with your brain, or are we also looking at what it can learn to do better?
A diagnosis can describe a problem without fully explaining what’s contributing to it.
After 25 years working in psychology and human health, I’ve learned that good decisions depend on understanding what we know, what we’re assuming, and what we may be overlooking.
That’s where my work begins.
Technically, you’re functioning.
But there’s a difference between getting through life and having the capacity & brain health to fully participate in it.
You’re still delivering.
But it takes more than it used to. The output is there, and the reserve behind it is getting thinner.
Your brain isn’t keeping up like it used to.
You forget things, lose your train of thought, or struggle to concentrate. You wonder what’s changing and why.
Every decision costs more.
Work. People. Information. Responsibility. You’re making decisions all day, but your thinking doesn’t feel as sharp as it once did.
Nothing is necessarily wrong.
You simply want to think more clearly, strengthen your cognitive skills, and maintain your brain health as you age. You don’t need a diagnosis to make your brain health a priority.
THE COST OF KEEPING UP
What have you started accepting as normal?
You’re the person everyone counts on. The deadlines get met. The bills get paid. You always find a way.
But lately, you sit in the driveway a little longer before going inside. You reread emails. Reach for another coffee. Promise yourself you’ll catch up on sleep this weekend.
Maybe you’ve even started taking a psychiatric medication to help manage it all.
And because you’re still functioning, nobody questions it.
But the people you love are getting what's left of you. And so are you.
That’s why I created Human Reserve.
To look beyond symptoms and assumptions. To understand the factors influencing brain health while exploring how we can strengthen the cognitive skills we depend on every day.
Because the goal isn’t just to keep functioning. It’s to think well, maintain your capacity, and have a life you actually get to enjoy.
What are we actually trying to protect?
Brain health isn’t just about preventing disease or cognitive decline. It’s about preserving the abilities that allow us to think, contribute, connect, and participate fully in life.
Think.
Clarity, memory, focus, and the ability to learn.
Work.
Contribute, solve problems, and do work that matters.
Connect.
Relationships, belonging, and engagement with others.
Create.
Ideas, curiosity, imagination and possibility.
Decide.
Judgment, agency and the ability to navigate uncertainty.
Participate.
The energy and capacity to show up fully in your own life.
This is Human Capacity.
Not simply whether you can function, but how much of you is available to think, connect, create, decide, work and participate in life.
THE STORY BEHIND HUMAN RESERVE
I know what it means to look fine on paper.
I was so good at performing that even my husband couldn’t tell when I was struggling.
He would say, “I didn’t know you were struggling, because you make things look easy.”
I’ve always been Type A. Driven, ambitious, and accustomed to carrying more than most people could see.
I was successful, productive, and meeting expectations. But my own experience with psychiatric medication taught me that functioning and being well are not the same thing. What was supposed to help left me feeling emotionally numb, physically unwell, and increasingly disconnected from my own life.
That experience changed how I thought about brain health.
I began looking more closely at the relationship between biology, cognitive functioning, medications, and the demands we place on ourselves.
And after more than 25 years working in psychology, I’ve learned that understanding the brain requires more than identifying symptoms or assigning diagnoses.
We also need to understand how the brain functions, how we develop our cognitive abilities, and what helps preserve them over time.
That’s why I created Human Reserve.
To bring psychology, biological brain health, and cognitive development together. Not simply to help people function, but to understand how they think, make decisions, and maintain their capacity throughout life.
Because the real measure of brain health isn’t simply what you can accomplish today. It’s the cognitive capacity and quality of life you can maintain over time.
ways to work with me
There’s more than one way to build capacity.
⊕ BRAIN HEALTH
Understand your brain. Develop its potential.
Explore the biological factors influencing brain function while developing cognitive skills for clearer thinking, stronger reasoning, and long-term brain health.
EXPLORE BRAIN HEALTH ➜
◎ MENTAL PERFORMANCE
Show up ready when it matters.
Develop the psychological skills to maintain focus, make decisions, adapt, and perform effectively under pressure.
EXPLORE PERFORMANCE ➜
☼ NUTRITION FOUNDATIONS
Give your brain what it needs.
Build the foundations of brain health through nutrition and daily habits that support energy, clarity, and long-term capacity.
EXPLORE NUTRITION ➜
◇ MEDICATION DECISIONS
Is your medication still serving you?
Understand the benefits, risks, and trade-offs of psychiatric medication. Explore your options, including whether a carefully planned taper may be appropriate, with informed consent at the center.
EXPLORE MEDICATION DECISIONS ➜
Is Diet Quality Invisible in Mental Health Outcomes?
Nutrition is everywhere in brain health conversations, but actual mental health outcomes rarely match the public promise. What’s hiding behind all these diet claims?
Human Capacity · Brain Health · Brain Economy · Performance
In their words
What it’s like to work together.
Love Dr Teralyn! I appreciate her knowledge, alternative approaches to mental health care, ability to make health care relatable, and her authenticity!
Tracy M.
Dr. Sell is the best! Her authenticity & passion shines boldly through all her work.
She’s everything you would want in a holistic health provider!
Ally H.
Dr. Sell is one of the best providers I have ever experienced in all of my years of seeing different professionals that never fit. She provided me with methods and resources that would assist me in my healing journey.
Jalika M.
Dr Teralyn has a lot more knowledge than the average therapist about brain health, deprescribing & alternatives to psych meds.
Jenny L.
Dr. Teralyn is the best and I entrust her for all things related to big pharma and mental health. Her knowledge of supplements and mental health is absolutely stellar in the industry! Highly recommend, 5 stars!!!
Deidre G.
Dr. Teralyn’s, insight and support were incredibly helpful. I walked away feeling far more equipped to face my challenges. I HIGHLY recommend her for anyone seeking compassionate and knowledgeable support and direction!
Jenny D.
GOOD TO KNOW
Questions before we get started?
Where should I Start?
You don’t need to have everything figured out. Whether you’re looking to improve your brain health, perform better under pressure, rebuild your capacity, or explore questions about psychiatric medication, there’s a place to begin. Start with what matters most to you right now.
Can I use insurance or my HSA
Human Reserve is a private-pay service and does not accept insurance. However, you may be able to use your Health Savings Account (HSA) for eligible services, depending on your plan and the nature of the service. Check with your HSA administrator to confirm eligibility.
Is Human Reserve therapy or consulting/coaching?
Human Reserve offers individualized consulting and coaching focused on brain health, performance, and capacity. Together, we identify what’s supporting you, what’s holding you back, and practical ways to build and protect your capacity. No service is psychotherapy.
Are you a medical doctor?
No. I have a PhD in Psychology, not an MD. My work focuses on helping you understand the factors influencing your brain health and turn that information into practical action.
Can you help me come off psychiatric medication?
I provide education and support around psychiatric medication decisions, informed consent, and tapering. My role isn’t to convince you to stop taking medication. It’s to help you understand your options, ask better questions, and navigate the process thoughtfully. Medication changes should always be coordinated with your prescribing clinician. I do not prescribe medication.
Protecting capacity means protecting agency.
Information alone doesn’t make decisions for you. Evidence matters. Trade-offs matter. And what matters to you matters.
Good decisions require more than answers. They require judgment.
Keep Going
Start by getting curious.
01 READ
Follow the ideas that challenge you.
Human capacity, brain health, performance, and the forces shaping how we think, work, decide, connect, and participate
02 Listen
Stay with the conversation.
Long-form conversations that question what we think we know about mental health, medication, brain health, and being human.
03 SHOP
Use what I use.
Books and tools I recommend for sleep, nutrition, recovery, and focus.
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
04 START
Find out what your life is costing you.
See what is supporting your capacity, what is drawing on it, and how much you have left.
this week on the gaslit truth podcast
Conversations worth having.
The Gaslit Truth Podcast goes where mental health conversations usually stop. We question the assumptions, examine the evidence, and talk openly about what gets left out.
Not Sure Where to Start?
Better decisions begin with better questions.
Whether you’re navigating psychiatric medication decisions, brain health concerns, or performance challenges, tell me what you’re trying to figure out.
Let’s identify the right starting point.