Tag Archives: connection

Objectivism Debunked: The Imperative of Human Connection for Well-Being

Objectivism is a philosophical system developed by Russian-American writer Ayn Rand. It is centered around the idea that reality exists independently of consciousness, and individuals must understand reality through reason, the only means of acquiring knowledge. Objectivism promotes rational self-interest, … Continue reading

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World Mental Health Day: Understanding the Root Causes of Mental Health Conditions Through an IPNB Lens

As we recognize World Mental Health Day on October 10th, it’s important to step back and examine the deeper, systemic causes of the global mental health crisis. From an Interpersonal Neurobiology (IPNB) perspective, mental health is not just an individual … Continue reading

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The Toxic Dogma of “Your Role in Your Suffering”

The idea that “healing means taking responsibility for your role in your suffering” comes from a pathologizing and shame-based perspective. From an Interpersonal Neurobiology (IPNB) perspective, the idea that individuals are responsible for their suffering is indeed problematic and overly … Continue reading

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Desperate for Connection, Paralyzed by Fear: Trauma’s Cruel Dilemma

One of the cruelest effects of complex trauma is how our nervous systems become equally desperate for connection and terrified of it. Any interaction can feel potentially dangerous. We focus on detecting threats and protecting ourselves, but we can’t protect … Continue reading

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Restoring Balance: The Role of Interpersonal Neurobiology in Native American Healing

From an Interpersonal Neurobiology (IPNB) perspective, the biggest challenges faced by Native American populations are deeply intertwined with historical trauma, systemic injustice, and disrupted relational connections across generations. IPNB, which emphasizes the importance of relationships, social environments, and neurobiology in … Continue reading

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From Pathology to Relationship: IPNB Insights into the Medicalization of Social Issues

The medicalization of social issues like addiction and mental health, backed by industrial interests, shifts focus from systemic inequality to biological explanations, depoliticizing the true causes of widespread despair, as it causes further harm and even kills. In the Jacobin … Continue reading

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The Power of Connection: Patch Adams MD and the Interpersonal Neurobiology of Healing

In the fall of 2020, when I was very near death due to hypercritical allostatic load (overloaded nervous system), I reached out to someone whose compassion I deeply admired. I had watched one of Patch Adams MD’s videos on YouTube—it … Continue reading

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From Survival to Awe: Healing the Nervous System’s Emotional Landscape

It happened while I was watching several hummingbirds swoop around my head in my patio garden. I felt a glimmer of awe! This was the first time in recent months. During the past 6 years, ever since the behavioral health … Continue reading

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School Shootings: How Attachment and Trauma Shape Tragedy

The United States has experienced over 1,400 school shootings since 1997. From an Interpersonal Neurobiology (IPNB) perspective, school shootings can be seen as the tragic result of a complex interplay of factors that disrupt the neurobiological and social development of … Continue reading

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Mocking Gus Walz: A Symptom of Emotional Insecurity and Disconnection

A right-wing media personality called Gus Walz a “blubbering bitch boy,” while others mimicked and shamed the teen’s emotional reaction to his father’s acceptance speech at last month’s Democratic National Convention. These shameful attacks on a child caused me to … Continue reading

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