Category Archives: IPNB of Hierarchy

Why So Many People Can’t Believe and Support Trauma Survivors

Recently, I encountered significant opposition after I posted about the sexual assault committed against me by a member of the US Coast Guard (USCG). The attack had clearly been set up, and it was obvious to me that it was … Continue reading

Posted in Abuse, IPNB of Hierarchy | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

“The God Shot”: Magical Thinking for a Culture That Refuses to Change

Dr. Eugene Lipov, who helped develop the use of Stellate Ganglion Block (SGB) for PTSD, announced the release of his new book, “The God Shot.” The title also refers to a medical procedure he calls a “Dual Sympathetic Reset (DSR).” … Continue reading

Posted in IPNB of Hierarchy | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Why Conversations End When You Expose the Hierarchy 

A few months ago, I agreed to a podcast interview with a prominent pain specialist, someone widely known for using Stellate Ganglion Blocks (SGBs) to treat people diagnosed with PTSD. He states that the shot works fast, with people often … Continue reading

Posted in IPNB of Hierarchy | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Welfare Systems Trap the Nervous System and Hold People Down

A friend also lives with severe Complex PTSD rooted in extreme developmental trauma. They are profoundly disabled by it, not because they are incapable or unmotivated, but because their nervous system learned very early that survival required constant vigilance. The … Continue reading

Posted in IPNB of Hierarchy | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

The Gilded Age Values of the Modern Mental Illness Industry

The dominant culture continues to enforce many of the values of the Gilded Age, especially those related to economic inequality, individual responsibility, and the criminalization of marginalized groups. While there have been some advances in social justice, the structures of … Continue reading

Posted in IPNB of Hierarchy, Mental Health | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Brilliance of Being Free: What the DuPonts Can Teach Us About Inequality

I recently took a tour of the Nemours Estate, and from the very first room, the docents kept repeating the same line: “The DuPonts were brilliant. Absolutely brilliant.” The first time they said it, they were talking about AI DuPont … Continue reading

Posted in IPNB of Hierarchy | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Why Hierarchy Is the Problem

Hierarchy creates the separation that promotes contempt, which is the breeding ground of cruelty. From an Interpersonal Neurobiology perspective, hierarchy disrupts the natural processes of connection, safety, and co-regulation that support human well-being. In relationships or systems where hierarchy dominates, … Continue reading

Posted in IPNB of Hierarchy | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Patriarch’s Ledger: A Tale of Power and Estrangement

Several years ago, my brother told me that he intended to leave his multi-million dollar estate to my sister, me, and our female children, because he understood that women are at a disadvantage in this culture. It struck me as … Continue reading

Posted in Family, IPNB of Hierarchy | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Hidden in Plain Sight: Predators, Power, and the Systems That Shelter Them

I didn’t set out to study the neurobiology of predators. I got there by surviving them. My interest in this work comes from a long history of being harmed by people in power, capped by what is known as “The … Continue reading

Posted in Accountability, IPNB of Hierarchy | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The President Parenting Our Nation

Our nervous systems respond to leaders the same way we react to people who hold power in our lives, especially caregivers when we were young. That’s because our bodies and brains develop in the context of relationships. Safety, connection, and … Continue reading

Posted in IPNB of Hierarchy | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment