Tag Archives: IPNB
Why Everything Feels Like a Threat: The Stress Epidemic Behind Political Division
A dysregulated society doesn’t happen by accident. It emerges when too many people live in chronic stress, unable to return to a state of safety and connection. From an Interpersonal Neurobiology (IPNB) perspective, individual nervous systems don’t exist in isolation. … Continue reading
The Dysregulated Society: How Chronic Stress Fuels Political Polarization
The political climate today isn’t just about ideology or policy; it is about nervous systems in constant activation. From an interpersonal neurobiology (IPNB) perspective, this isn’t simply disagreement; it’s widespread dysregulation. People aren’t just arguing about facts or values. They’re … Continue reading
From the Family to Empires: How Hierarchies Harm Us All
From an Interpersonal Neurobiology (IPNB) perspective, all hierarchies that operate through domination dynamics are fundamentally the same. They impose the same relational structure: an imbalance of power where one party exerts control over others, often at the expense of connection, … Continue reading
When Therapy Isn’t Therapeutic
Safety is the foundation of any therapeutic relationship, especially for trauma survivors. It is the therapist’s responsibility to create that sense of safety when the client cannot. This is their first and most crucial task. Without safety, there can be … Continue reading
Elon Musk and the Normalization of Aggressive Masculinity: A Neurobiological Perspective
Ultra-rich men like Elon Musk can significantly affect the general population, especially in shaping societal attitudes toward issues like identity, success, masculinity, and behavior. From an Interpersonal Neurobiology (IPNB) perspective, the behaviors and attitudes exhibited by influential figures like Musk … Continue reading
Private Equity, Public Harm: The Human Toll of Healthcare Buyouts
A recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) by health policy experts at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) found that patient care experiences declined following private equity (PE) acquisitions of U.S. hospitals.The research indicated … Continue reading
Why You Need Political Brain Breaks for Sanity and Health
When we’re constantly surrounded by fear and uncertainty, our nervous system picks up on those cues and responds as if we’re in danger, even when we’re just thinking about what might happen. This triggers our body’s natural stress response, which … Continue reading
“Be Nice or Go Away” as a Healing Mantra
To come off survival mode, our nervous systems have to believe we are safe now. Too much evidence tells me I’m still not safe, including recent bad therapy and a prior malevolent doctor. Cruelty and contempt at the hands of … Continue reading
The Shredding of My Safety Nets
Thanks to the effects of compound trauma on the brain, my resources for many things I used to enjoy have been quite limited for years. Most of my resources for social encounters are used for visits with my doctors. There’s … Continue reading
It’s Not “Psychological Trauma,” it’s Trauma
The term “psychological trauma” is often used, but it overlooks the neurophysiological reality of what happens during trauma. It is more accurately described as nervous system dysregulation, in which trauma overwhelms the nervous system, throwing it out of balance and … Continue reading
