Tag Archives: politics

The Manufactured SNAP Crisis: A Nation’s Moral Reckoning

As the government shutdown drags on, nearly 42 million Americans are staring down an uncertain future. The Trump administration has announced it will not tap into emergency funds to maintain SNAP benefits beyond October, leaving millions without the food assistance … Continue reading

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From Personal Trauma to Systemic Abuse, the Antidote is the Same

The same dynamics I experienced as a child–unpredictable abuse, bystanders who froze, and systems that protected the abuser–are now playing out on a much larger scale in the world. In medical systems, the same patterns repeat. People suffer abuse, neglect, … Continue reading

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Conservatism’s War on Human Health

The current form of American so-called conservatism, particularly as it has evolved under Trumpism and aligned with far-right movements, is so biologically adverse in that it promotes conditions that undermine human nervous system regulation, relational safety, and social well-being. This … Continue reading

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Trauma is Political. Healing is, Too. 

Most trauma is caused by power imbalances in which the powerful neglect, abuse, and exploit those who have less. Such out-of-balance relational dynamics–especially when protected by institutions–are the driver of mental health conditions, chronic illnesses, recurrent pain, and virtually all … Continue reading

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A Deliberate Strategy to Harm Federal Workers

“We want the bureaucrats to be traumatically affected,” said Russell Vought, the current administration’s director of the federal Office of Management and Budget. “When they wake up in the morning, we want them to not want to go to work, … Continue reading

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How to Dismantle the Domination Hierarchy

Taking down the domination hierarchy that supports wealth and power concentration requires a multi-faceted, systemic approach that challenges the core structures of inequality, exploitation, and oppression. It involves reimagining societal systems, empowering marginalized communities, and creating alternatives to entrenched power … Continue reading

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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

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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

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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

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The Neurobiology of Uncertainty and Fear

Interpersonal Neurobiology (IPNB) offers a lens to understand how our brains and bodies respond to uncertainty and fear, particularly during times of political unrest. Here’s a breakdown of how IPNB principles apply to this context: The Neurobiology of Fear and … Continue reading

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