Happiness Isn’t Brain Surgery
Happiness Isn’t Brain Surgery:The Mind-Body
ConnectionDr. Dawn-Elise Snipes PhD, LPC-MHSM, LMHC, NCC
Executive Director, AllCEUsHost, Counselor Toolbox
President, Recovery and Resilience International
Happiness Isn’t Brain Surgery
Objectives Learn about your central control center, the
brain What role does it play in
Emotions Thoughts Physical Reactions/Sensations
How things can go wrong How to fix those things
Happiness Isn’t Brain Surgery
The Brain Your central control center
Takes in information Compares it to what it already knows (or
thinks it knows) from prior experiences Makes a decision about what to do.
Based on that decision it activates action centers which excrete neurotransmitters in order to produce the desired reaction.
Happiness Isn’t Brain Surgery
Neurotransmitters Chemical messengers take “orders” to
and from the brain through the nervous system
The Big 6 fall into 3 main categories Excitatory: Dopamine, Norepinepherine,
Glutamate Inhibitory: GABA, Serotonin Neuromodulator: Acetylcholine
Happiness Isn’t Brain Surgery
Neurotransmitters Function Emotional
Happiness Sadness Anger Fear
Mental Concentration Learning Decision Making
Physical Sleep behavior Eating behavior Libido Gastrointestinal
Functioning/motility Pain perception
Happiness Isn’t Brain Surgery
Neurotransmitters cont… An imbalance in neurotransmitters will cause
emotional, mental, or physical “distress” What causes imbalances
Too much “stress” for too long Poor nutrition Insufficient sleep Addictive behaviors
Happiness Isn’t Brain Surgery
Your Stress Sensor: Peripheral Nervous System
Your nervous system continues to feed the brain information about whether the threat is: Continuing and something else needs
to be done Subsiding and your brain can tell your
body to relax.
Happiness Isn’t Brain Surgery
How does all this happen? How does the brain “know” what is
threatening?
Lets find out…
Happiness Isn’t Brain Surgery
The Brain When you were born, there were very few
things that were “meaningful” You assigned meaning to things through
observation and experience When something happens you compare it to
prior experiences to decide what to do
Happiness Isn’t Brain Surgery
The Brain
Unfortunately until about age 7 children’s interpretation of behavior is: Centric—Based on one thing at a time Concrete All-or-nothing Egocentric
Happiness Isn’t Brain Surgery
The Brain Interpretations are only as good as:
The information coming inThe prior knowledge
Things that are learned in early childhood need to be re-examined as we grow
Once you were in middle school you could be taught to start Considering multiple aspects of a situation Using abstract reasoning (Looking for other
interpretations of events)
Happiness Isn’t Brain Surgery
Example 1 Child brings home report card
Child hears negative messages from a parentWhy did you get a C, I know you are not that stupid.Why can’t you do anything right?
Child interpretsAll-or-Nothing: I cannot do anything to make my parent
proud. Egocentric: I am not lovable.
Future behaviorsDesperately seeking approvalFears of abandonment
Happiness Isn’t Brain Surgery
Example 1 Alternative Child brings home report card
Child hears neutral or positive messages from a parentWhy did you get a C in math? It seems like you might need some
help in that subject.You are really smart and a good student, what is causing you
difficulty? Child Interpretation
All-or-nothing needs to be refocused to specificsEgocentric & Single focused needs to be broadened to the big
picture Future behaviors
Child starts learning to examine specific behaviorsChild is able to identify strengths and weaknesses
Happiness Isn’t Brain Surgery
Example 2 Parent abandons the family
Child interpretsMy parent has to love me. My parent left. My parent must hate me. I am unlovable.
Result: Adult feeling inadequate, fearing abandonment and seeking external validation that was not received from parent
Happiness Isn’t Brain Surgery
Example 2 Parents divorce but have shared custody
Child interpretsMy parent has to love me. My parent is still in my life.My parent will always be there for me.
Result: Adult feeling adequate and able to provide internal
validationAdult feeling secure in relationships (even if
someone goes away they will be back)
Happiness Isn’t Brain Surgery
Example 3 Child witnesses domestic violence
Child sees mom get hurt and “make” Daddy drink and hit her because she “makes” him mad.
Child hears father criticizing mother and telling her how useless she is
Child interprets: If I do not do absolutely everything right I will be unlovable and useless.
Happiness Isn’t Brain Surgery
Example 3 Future behaviors
Shrouded in fear of failure either causing the person to refuse to try, or to be a perfectionist.
Fears of abandonmentNeed for external validationChild has learned that he or she is responsible for
other’s feelings and behaviors
Happiness Isn’t Brain Surgery
What’s the Point Much of your anxiety and distress comes from
Faulty interpretations of prior experiences creating faulty interpretations of present experiences
The brain using outdated experiences Negative Messages = Threat Stress Reaction When you constantly bombard yourself with
negative messages Your body constantly perceives a threat You are on “high alert” all the time Exhaustion,
depression, hopelessness & helplessness
Happiness Isn’t Brain Surgery
Summary The brain is your central control center Through observation and experience it
“learns” what is okay and what is threatening
Things that were threatening or misinterpreted in the past may now need to be re-examined
By addressing those old, unhelpful thoughts and interpretations you can reduce physical and mental stress and anxiety.