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Catalyze Brain Change:From Incremental Skills toQuantum
LearningSan Francisco CAMFTMay 4, 2014San Francisco, CA.Catalyze
Brain Change:From Incremental Skills toQuantum LearningLinda
Graham, [email protected]
Back: Rewiring Your Brain For Maximum Resilience and Well-BeingAll
the world is full of suffering.It is also full of overcoming.-
Helen KellerResilienceDeal with challenges and crisesBounce back
from adversityRecover balance and equilibriumFind refuges and
maximize resourcesCope skillfully, flexibly, adaptivelyShift
perspectives, open to possibilities, create options, find meaning
and purposePremise of WorkshopDifferent neural activities
underlieDifferent levels of client functioning, thusDifferent
mechanisms of therapeutic change
Harness neuroplasticity of brainTeach self-directed
neuroplasticity to clientsIncrease effectiveness of any modalityThe
field of neuroscience is so new,we must be comfortable not only
venturing into the unknownbut into error.- Richard Mendius, M.D.
Neuroscience of ResilienceNeuroscience technology is 20 years
old
Meditation shifts mood and perspective; impacts immune system
and gene expressionOxytocin can calm a panic attack in less than a
minuteKindness and comfort, early on, protects against later
stress, trauma, psychopathologyNeuroplasticityGrowing new
neuronsStrengthening synaptic connectionsMyelinating pathways
faster processingCreating and altering brain structure and
circuitryOrganizing and re-organizing functions of brain
structuresThe brain is shaped by experience. And because we have a
choice about what experiences we want to use to shape our brain, we
have a responsibility to choose the experiences that will shape the
brain toward the wise and the wholesome.- Richard J. Davidson,
PhDEvolutionary legacyGenetic templatesFamily of origin
conditioningNorms-expectations of culture-society
Who we are and how we cope.is not our fault.- Paul Gilbert, The
Compassionate MindGiven neuroplasticityAnd choices of self-directed
neuroplasticity
Who we are and how we copeis our responsibility
- Paul Gilbert, The Compassionate MindMindfulness and
EmpathyAwareness of whats happening(and our reactions to whats
happening)What are you noticing now?
Acceptance of whats happening(and our reactions to whats
happening)Oh, sweetheart! This is painful; this is hard. And it
makes complete sense that you would feel the way you do.
Two most powerful agents of brain change known to
scienceEffective Agents of Brain
ChangeConsciousnessSelf-AwarenessMindfulnessSelf-ReflectionCompassionEmpathyAttention
CircuitResonance Circuit
Self-Directed NeuroplasticityPractices to Accelerate Brain
ChangePresence primes receptivity of brain
Intention/choice activates plasticity
Perseverance creates and installs changeConditioning Skills and
PatternsThe brain learns from experienceEncodes learning,
behaviors, skills in neural circuitryPatterns of response become
automatic habits
Develops or de-rails pre-frontal cortexCEO of resilienceInner
secure base, personal sense of self
Therapeutic relationship = re-parentingNew Conditioning New
ResourcesNew skills, behaviors, capacitiesDevelop resilient
copingAntidote negativity bias of brainStrengthen resources; take
in the goodRe-conditioning Rewiring PatternsStabilize
functioningReduce stress, defensivenessHeal trauma
Window of tolerance equilibriumMemory deconsolidation
reconsolidationDe-conditioning Quantum LearningDefault
networkMental play spaceOpen spacious awareness
Insights, aha!s, breakthroughs6 Cs of
CopingCalmCompassionClarityConnections to
ResourcesCompetenceCourageConditioning:How the Brain Learns in the
First PlaceExperience causes neurons to fireRepeated experiences,
repeated neural firingsNeurons that fire together wire
togetherStrengthen synaptic connectionsConnections stabilize into
neural pathwaysConditioning is neutral, wires positive and
negativeAttachment Styles - SecureParenting is attuned, empathic,
responsive, comforting, soothing, helpfulAttachment develops safety
and trust, and inner secure baseStable and flexible focus and
functioning Open to learning inner secure base provides buffer
against stress, trauma, and
psychopathologyInsecure-AvoidantParenting is indifferent,
neglectful, or critical, rejectingAttachment is compulsively
self-reliantStable, but not flexibleFocus on self or world, not
others or emotionsRigid, defensive, not open to learningNeural
cementInsecure-AnxiousParenting is inconsistent,
unpredictableAttachment is compulsive caregivingFlexible, but not
stableFocus on other, not on self-world, Less able to retain
learningNeural swampDisorganizedParenting is frightening or
abusive, or parent is checked out, not thereAttachment is fright
without solutionLack of focus Moments of dissociation
Compartmentalization of traumaPre-Frontal Cortex -
FunctionsRegulate body and nervous systemQuell fear response of
amygdalaManage emotionsAttunement felt sense of feelingsEmpathy
making sense of experienceInsight and self-knowingResponse
flexibilityMindfulness Comes to West Mindfulness: Focused attention
onpresent moment experiencewithout judgment or resistance.- Jon
Kabat-Zinn
Attention and allowingAwareness and acceptanceMindfulnessPause,
become presentNotice and nameSee patterns as patternsStep back,
dis-entangle, reflectCatch the moment; make a choiceShift
perspectives; shift statesDiscern optionsChoose wisely let go of
unwholesome, cultivate wholesomeBetween a stimulus and a response
there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our
response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom. The last
of human freedoms is to choose ones attitude in any given set of
circumstances.- Viktor Frankl, Austrian psychiatrist, survivor of
AuschwitzAutobiography in Five Short Chapters Portia NelsonII walk
down the street.There is a deep hole in the sidewalkI fall in.I am
lostI am helplessIt isnt my fault.It takes me forever to find a way
out.
III walk down the same street.There is a deep hole in the
sidewalk.I pretend I dont see it.I fall in again.I cant believe Im
in the same placeBut, it isnt my fault.It still takes a long time
to get out.
IIII walk down the same street.There is a deep hole in the
sidewalk.I see it is there.I still fall inits a habitMy eyes are
open, I know where I am.It is my fault.I get out immediately.31IVI
walk down the same streetThere is a deep hole in the sidewalk.I
walk around it.VI walk down another street.-Portia NelsonClarityIt
is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most
intelligent. It is the one that is the most adaptive to change.-
Charles Darwin
Every moment brings a choice, and every choice has an
impact.Julia Butterfly HillNew ConditioningExperience creates brain
changeNew experiences: new learning, new skills, new behaviorsNew
memory, new circuitryNegativity Bias Positive EmotionsBrain is
hard-wired to notice and remember negative and intense more than
positive and subtle; how we survive as individuals and as a
speciesLeads to tendency to avoid experiencePositive emotions
activate left shift, brain is more open to approaching experience,
learning, and actionPositive
Emotions-BehaviorsGratitudeAweGenerosityCompassionDelightSerenityLoveCuriosityKindnessJoyTrustPositive
EmotionsLess stress, anxiety, depression, lonelinessMore
friendships, social support, collaborationShift in perspectives,
more optimismMore creativity, productivityBetter health, better
sleepLive on average 7-9 years longerGratitude2-minute
free-writeGratitude journalGratitude buddyGratitude in the middle
of the nightTake in the GoodNotice: in the moment or in
memoryEnrich: the intensity, duration, novelty, personal relevance,
multi-modalityAbsorb: savor 10-20-30 seconds, felt sense in
bodyCircle of SupportCall to mind people who have been supportive
of you; who have had your backCurrently, in the past, in
imaginationImagine them gathered around you, or behind you, lending
you their faith in you, and their strengths in copingImagine your
circle of support present with you as you face difficult people or
situationsPositivity PortfolioAsk 10 friends to send cards or
e-mails expressing appreciation of youAssemble phrases on piece of
paperTape to bathroom mirror or computer monitor, carry in wallet
or purseRead phrases 3 times a day for 30 daysSavor and
appreciateRe-conditioningManaging survival responses
Rewiring shame
Rewiring traumaWindow of ToleranceSNS explore, play, create,
produce.ORfight-flight-freeze
Baseline physiological equilibriumCalm and relaxed, engaged and
alertWINDOW OF TOLERANCERelational and resilientEquanimity
PNS inner peace, serenityORNumb out, collapseKeep Calm and Carry
OnSerenity is not freedom from the storm
but peace amidst the storm.
- author unknownHand on the HeartTouchDeep breathingPositive
EmotionsBrakes on survival responsesOxytocin safety and
trustRelationships as resourcesOxytocinHormone of safety and trust,
bonding and belonging, calm and connectBrains direct and immediate
antidote to stress hormone cortisolCan pre-empt stress response
altogetherCalm through the BodyHand on the HeartBody
ScanProgressive Muscle RelaxationMovement OppositeCalm Friendly
Body ScanAwarenessBreathing gently into tensionHello! and
gratitudeRelease tension, reduce traumaProgressive Muscle
RelaxationBody cannot be tense and relaxed at the same time
Tense for 7 seconds, relax for 15
Focused attention calms the mindCalm and Strength through
MovementPower posingBody posture of difficult emotionBody moves
into opposite postureReturn to first postureReturn to second
postureFind a position in the middleThe roots of resilience are to
be found in the felt sense of being held in the mind and heart of
an empathic, attuned, and self-possessed other.- Diana Fosha,
PhD
To see and be seen: that is the questions, and that is the
answer.- Ken Benau, PhDNeuroscience of EmpathyEmotional
communication is 93% non-verbalSocial engagement system Dyadic
regulationFusiform gyrus regulates amygdalaVagal brakeRestores
equilibriumAh, the comfort,The inexpressible comfortOf feeling safe
with a person.Having neither to weigh out thoughtsNor words,But
pouring them all right out, just as they are,Chaff and grain
together;Certain that a faithful handWill take them and sift
them;Keeping what is worth keeping and,With the breath of
kindness,Blow the rest away.- Dinah Craik
Wiser SelfImagine yourself five years from now: wise,
compassionate, good, strong, alive and vibrantAsk this Wiser Self:
how did you become like this? What did you have to overcome or let
go of to become like this? What one word of advice do you have for
me?Inhabit this Wiser Self briefly; what does it feel like to
become your Wiser Self? The curious paradox is that when I accept
myself just as I am, then I can change.- Carl
RogersCompassionSensitivityAttention to feelings and suffering,
self and othersSympathyTuning in, feeling with, being movedDistress
toleranceBeing with pain without denial or
overwhelmEmpathyUnderstanding without judgment, resistance,
submissionCaringWarmth, kindness, gentleness in any response
Self-Compassion BreakNotice-recognize: this is a moment of
sufferingOuch! This hurts! This is hard!Pause, breathe, hand on
heart or cheekOh sweetheart!Self-empathyI care about my own
suffering, me as experiencerDrop into calm; hold moment with
awareness; breathe in compassion and careMay I meet this moment
fully; may I meet it as a friendShare experience with resonant
otherThe Guest House - RumiThis being human is a guest-house.Every
morning a new arrival.A joy, a depression, a meanness,Some
momentary awareness comeAs an unexpected visitor.Welcome and
entertain them all!Even if theyre a crowd of sorrows,who violently
sweep your houseempty of its furniture,still, treat each guest
honorably.
He may be clearing you out for some new delight.The dark
thought, the shame, the malice,meet them at the door laughing, and
invite them in.Be grateful for whoever comes,because each has been
sent as a guide from beyond.- Rumi
Compassion for Others - SelfRemember moment of compassion and
care for anotherEvoke felt sense of compassion in your bodyWhen
flow of compassion is steadyPlace yourself in flow of compassion,
care, concernFind the Gift in the MistakeRegrettable Moment
Teachable MomentWhats Right with this Wrong?Whats the Lesson?Whats
the Cue to Act Differently?Find the Gift in the MistakeCoherent
NarrativeThis is what happened.This is what I did.This has been the
cost.This is what I learned.This is what I would do differently
going forward.CourageIts as wrong to deny the possibleAs it is to
deny the problem.- Dennis SeleebyDo One Scary Thing a DayVenture
into New or UnknownSomatic marker of Uh, ohDopamine disruptedCross
threshold into newSatisfaction, masteryDopamine restoredPeople as
ResourcesAt times our own light goes out and is rekindled by the
spark from another person.
Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who
have lighted the flame within us.- Albert SchweitzerSee Yourself as
Others See YouImagine sitting across from someone who loves you
unconditionallyImagine switching places with them; see yourself as
they see you; feel why they love you and delight in you; take in
the goodImagine being yourself again; taking in the love and
affection coming to you; savor and absorb.Welcome Them AllWiser
Self welcomes to the partycharacters that embody positive and
negative parts of the selfwith curiosity and acceptance of the
message or gift of each part andhonors each part of the inner
committeeShame is De-Railer of ResilienceShame is the intensely
painful feeling or experience of believing we are flawed and
therefore unworthy of acceptance and belonging.Shame erodes the
part of ourselves that believes we are capable of change. We cannot
change and grow when we are in shame, and we cant use shame to
change ourselves or others.Cure for Shame is Love and
AcceptanceLove makes your soul crawl out of its hiding place. -
Zora Neale Hurston
Love guards the heart from the abyss. MozartJust that action of
paying attention to ourselves, that I care enough about myself,
that I am worthy enough to pay attention to, starts to unlock some
of those deep beliefs of unworthiness at a deeper level in the
brain.- Elisha GoldsteinRe-conditioningMemory de-consolidation
re-consolidationLight up neural networks of problematic memoryCause
neural networks to fall apart temporarily and instantly rewire
by:Juxtaposing positive memory that directly contradicts or
disconfirms;Focused attention on juxtaposition of both memories
held in simultaneous dual awarenessCasues the falling apart and the
rewiringReconditioningAnchor in present moment awarenessResource
with acceptance and goodnessStart with small negative memoryLight
up the networksEvoke positive memory that contradicts or
disconfirmsSimultaneous dual awareness (or toggle)Refresh and
strengthen positiveLet go of negativeRest in, savor positiveReflect
on shifts in perspectiveWished for OutcomeEvoke memory of what did
happenImagine new behaviors, new players, new resolutionHold new
outcome in awareness, strengthening and refreshingNotice shift in
perspective of experience, of selfRewiring TraumaMindfulness and
compassion as containerDropping through layers of story, feelings
to body sensations where trauma is storedChunking down the memory
to be processedHolding the memory in larger resourcingPendulating
between positive and negative, refreshing positive, until negative
dissolves or loses chargeModes of ProcessingFocusedTasks and
detailsSelf-referentialNew conditioning and
de-conditioningDe-focusedDefault networkFertile neural background
noisePlane of open possibilitiesDe-conditioningDefocused
modeDreamsDaydreams, reveriesStream of
consciousnessImaginationGuided visualizationMindfulness Dissolves
the Stuff of SelfQuantum physics investigates matterMatter is more
space than stuffMindfulness investigates ISelf is not static or
fixed; is ever-changing, ever-unfoldingTrue Self is flow of
beingnessI am larger than I thought.I did not know I held so much
goodness.- Walt Whitman
Love teaches me I am everything.Wisdom teaches me I am
nothing.Between the two, my life flows.- Sri
NisargadattaPre-Frontal CortexToggles back and forth between
focused and defocused modes of processingIntegration of two modes;
integration of right and left hemispheres, integration of higher
and lower brainDeeper brain functioning; brain itself more
reslientRelational IntelligenceSetting limits and
boundariesNegotiating changeResolving conflictsRepairing
rupturesForgiveness I am no longer afraid of storms,For I am
learning how to sail my ship.- Louisa May AlcottPractices to
Accelerate Brain ChangePresence primes receptivity of brain
Intention/choice activates plasticity
Perseverance creates and installs changeHow long should you try?
Until. - Jim Rohn
The difference between try and triumph is a little umph. author
unknown
The greatest oak was once a little nut that held its ground.
Author unknown Catalyze Brain Change:From Incremental Skills to
Quantum LearningLinda Graham,
[email protected]
