Tag Archives: IPNB

Secrecy and Stability: The Super Enablers at My Father’s Memorial

At my father’s memorial in 2019, the family dynamics were easy to see. Most people did not want to talk to me. They showed it through distance, short answers, or simply not engaging. My sister’s behavior was openly hostile. Her … Continue reading

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Outsourcing to Angels: Faith as Deferral Instead of Action

Recently,  I met someone who told me that the political turmoil of today is okay according to the angels. They say it’s just cleaning out the bad stuff. She also said that angels don’t work on our timeline, so we … Continue reading

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Science Over Slogans: What Daniel Amen Gets Wrong About Anxiety

In a video clip, Daniel G. Amen, M.D., shares what he calls “One of my favorite strategies to combat anxiousness” and refers to “killing” what he calls “ANTS,” his acronym for “Automatic Negative Thoughts that steal your happiness.” Amen advises … Continue reading

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The IPNB of Masking: How the Nervous System Prioritizes Belonging Over Authenticity

Masking behavior, or social camouflaging,, is the conscious or subconscious suppression of one’s natural personality, emotions, or neurodivergent traits to conform to social norms, fit in, or avoid judgment. It is commonly used by autistic individuals, those with ADHD, or … Continue reading

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Complex PTSD From An IPNB Perspective: Survival Adaptations and the Roots of Symptoms

When people talk about Complex PTSD or other trauma-related conditions, they often focus on the symptoms. They make lists of patterns, put them into clusters, and give them names. That sounds organized, but it hides the bigger picture. It puts … Continue reading

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Putting Our Lived Experience on the Record Can Help Build a Sense of Safety

I started bringing a printed page to my pain specialist appointments because I needed a way to communicate that worked for my nervous system and his. Each page bears the date and his name, plus brief status updates on regional … Continue reading

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“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

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Announcing My First Book!

Of all the things I could have predicted for my life, becoming a watercolor graphic medicine artist who uses cartoon ladybugs to teach Relational Neuroscience was not one of them. But here I am. My “Della the IPNB Ladybug™” books … Continue reading

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What Are Our Core Biological Needs?

From an Interpersonal Neurobiology perspective, the core biological needs that are chronically unmet in people with severe CPTSD involve safety, connection, and regulation. These needs are not abstract, but embodied. 1. Co-regulation. Human nervous systems are designed to settle in … Continue reading

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Creating My Own Justice: Art, Words, and the Nervous System

I keep talking about what happened to me because the lack of justice makes it impossible to “let it go,” as if that is even a thing. The psychiatric abuse and forced FGM surgery didn’t just happen; they continue to … Continue reading

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