Backstage Pass: Ep. 36 - Leveraging Stress to Your Advantage with Dr. Rebecca Heiss
Dr. Rebecca Heiss Bio
Dr. Heiss is a stress expert dedicated to transforming our fears into fuel we can use through her Fear(less) Stress Formula. Her research has been designated “transformative” by the National Science Foundation.
As a 2x author (Springboard, and Instinct), founder and CEO of the leadership 360-review mobile application, icueity, and highly sought-after professional speaker, Rebecca has found her calling in helping others recognize the power of using stress as a springboard to reach our highest performance, purpose and passion.
A former educator, Dr. Heiss spent much of her earlier career in the classroom at both the high school and college levels and was recruited to be a founding member of an innovative charter school with a focus on entrepreneurial thinking and impact-based learning. Today she shares her Fear(less) Stress Formula to transform fear to fuel from stages around the world as a full-time speaker and facilitator of her Fearless Masterclass. She continues her research on how we can turn trauma into Post Traumatic Growth (PTG) rather than PTSD.
Rebecca’s “fear(less)” message inspires hope and actionable insights to train our brains to work for us, rather than against us in times of change and uncertainty. With surprising humor and palpable energy, no matter if Dr. Heiss is delivering virtually or on stage, she wins over her audiences with interactive, inspiring, and timely takeaways.
When she’s not on a stage, she is happiest when hiking or surfing with her two spoiled rotten dogs Guinness and Murphy.
show notes
On this episode of Backstage Pass, Gail Davis sits down with Dr. Rebecca Heiss — stress expert and researcher whose work has been recognized as “transformative” by the National Science Foundation — to challenge the way we think about stress and explore how it can be used as a performance advantage.
Key topics in this episode include:
Why stress isn’t something to eliminate — and how trying to get rid of it can actually make it worse
The difference between stressors and the stress response — and why that distinction matters
How stress, when properly directed, sharpens focus, decision-making, and performance
Simple, practical tools like “it’s not a tiger” to stop spiraling and regain control in high-pressure moments
Why taking action — even small steps — is key to breaking cycles of overwhelm and inaction
How high-performing teams use stress to fuel innovation instead of fear
The role of stress as a signal for what we care about most — and how to use that insight to drive purpose and growth
Visit gdaspeakers.com to learn more about bringing Dr. Rebecca Heiss to your next event!