Author Archives: Shay Seaborne, CPTSD
Community as Resistance: Strategies for Surviving—and Thriving—in Uncertain Times
In times of growing fear and division, such as those surrounding political uncertainty, it’s vital to mindfully choose our safety strategies—not only for our own well-being but also for the collective health of those around us. As another Trump administration … Continue reading
Posted in Mental Health
Tagged befriend and tend, chronic stress, Community, connection, interpersonal neurobiology, IPNB, Mental Health, political, Psychology, Trauma, Trump, uncertainty
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“Sweet Discomfort,” the Growing Edge
Back in the early 80’s I had the pleasure of spending some time with Lilias Folan, “The Yoga Teacher Who Brought Yoga to Our Living Rooms Decades Before Online Yoga Was a Thing.” During the weekend retreat she taught through … Continue reading
Resilience is Not a Character Trait
Our culture often paints resilience as individual strength or toughness, a matter of will or character. From an Interpersonal Neurobiology (IPNB) lens, resilience depends on the interplay between our biology, environment, and the relational systems in which we’re embedded. Framing … Continue reading
Posted in Mental Health
Tagged Community, connection, interpersonal neurobiology, IPNB, Mental Health, Psychology, resilience
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The Pathology of the Mental Illness Industry
The mental illness industry, which informs medicine and the larger culture, pathologizes natural and normal responses to abnormal lived experiences. It focuses on the individual as the source of their own distress, insisting they need to simply stop having those … Continue reading
Posted in Mental Health
Tagged interpersonal neurobiology, IPNB, Mental Health, Psychology, well-being
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Against the System: Trauma Recovery Through Neuroscience
My last sleep before SGB #24! Four years ago when I had the first few I couldn’t have imagined needing this many. It has been an excruciatingly difficult journey. The yo-yo trajectory has been brutal. I’m so tired of reclaiming … Continue reading
Posted in SGB for PTSD
Tagged Community, interpersonal neurobiology, Mental Health, Psychology, PTSD, Regulation
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Denial of Care, Denial of Humanity: Violence, Healthcare Injustice, and a Society on Edge
The murder of the CEO of United Healthcare reflects the deep consequences of cultural dysregulation and domination hierarchies. From an Interpersonal Neurobiology (IPNB) perspective, acts of violence are not isolated phenomena but rather symptoms of a society that fosters widespread … Continue reading
Posted in IPNB of Hierarchy
Tagged CEO, collective wellbeing, connection, Domination, domination hierarchy, Empathy, hierarchy, IPNB, Mental Health, murder, Psychology, UnitedHealth, well-being
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Stop Calling It “People Pleasing!”
From an Interpersonal Neurobiology (IPNB) perspective, what’s labeled as “people pleasing” is actually a deeply ingrained survival response known as “please and appease.” This is an adaptation that develops in environments where maintaining safety and connection feels threatened, especially in … Continue reading
When “Suicidal” Means Something Needs to Change
Thanks in part to working with David Bedrick and his deep/process/UnShaming practice I came to realize that anytime I had even the faintest suicidal ideation (SI) it was a symptom that my environment was missing something important that I needed … Continue reading
Posted in Mental Health
Tagged David Bedrick, interpersonal neurobiology, IPNB, Mental Health, Psychology, suicidal ideation, suicide, well-being
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Holiday Eating Stress: Beyond Disorders to Nervous System Support
The National Association on Mental Illness (NAMI) sent an email titled, “Holidays & Eating Disorders,” which employs pathologizing language, focusing heavily on symptoms of “eating disorders” without addressing the relational, neurobiological, and environmental contexts that influence these experiences. While NAMI … Continue reading
Posted in Mental Health
Tagged Behavioral Health, diet, food, holiday eating, ingestion, interpersonal neurobiology, IPNB, Mental Health, NAMI, Psychology
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Beyond Lifestyle Changes: Why Healing Takes More Than Better Habits
In today’s healthcare system, we often encounter the idea that some of our biggest health issues can be resolved through lifestyle changes. While this is technically correct, from an Interpersonal Neurobiology (IPNB) perspective, such change is also complex. When people … Continue reading
Posted in Mental Health
Tagged connection, healthcare, interpersonal neurobiology, IPNB, lifestyle, medical industry, Medicine, Mental Health, Psychology, PTSD, Regulation, well-being
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