Frustration and Hijacking the Amygdala

Identifying and Processing Emotions: "Name It to Tame It"

Recent scientific studies suggest that people with mindfulness traits have the ability to calm their emotions by naming them. Mindfulness is a process where one is aware and receptive to present moment experiences.

In a study conducted by UCLA researchers Matthew Leiberman and David Creswell, subjects in an MRI scanner were shown emotionally expressive faces. When they were asked to name the gender of the person expressing the emotion no changes occurred. However when the same subjects were asked to name the emotion they were seeing (such as anger, fear or sadness), the person’s right ventro-lateral region became activated at the moment that the emotion was being named and the subcortical regions that respond to facial expressions especially in the region of the right amygdala calmed down.Amazingly this “name it to tame it” only happened in a certain percentage of individuals. When the researchers looked at the characteristics of the individuals whose accurate naming of an emotion could calm the subcortical storm within, those individuals were rated statistically significantly higher on mindfulness traits.

In summary, if you have mindfulness traits you can activate the ventrolateral prefrontal cortex on the right side of the brain to calm down excessively aroused subcortical circuits like the amygdala. It is believed that this occurs through the secretion of inhibitory peptides like GABA or glutamate. This is a powerful example of how the mind regulates the flow of energy and information to change neuronal activation in the brain.

On the Reading Table: "Instant Emotional Healing" and "The Body KeepsScore"

Peter Lambrou and George Pratt

Drawing on techniques ranging from focused thought to breathing and acupressure, Peter Lambrou and George Pratt guide readers through an Emotional Self-Management program, which they contend will dramatically accelerate the therapeutic process. 

Clinical psychologists who are experienced in hypnosis, Lambrou (co-author with Brian Alman of "Self-Hypnosis: The Complete Manual for Health and Self-Change") and Pratt ("A Clinical Hypnosis Primer") have found that the healing of anxiety, phobias, and other emotional traumas is often delayed because of "energy blockages" that can stem from "polarity reversals in a person’s electromagnetic field." 

According to the authors, relief from chronic symptoms, often instantaneous, can be achieved once these blockages are cleared. ESM includes identifying emotional states, breathing and tapping along pathways, or meridians (the same ones used in acupuncture), to release energy for healing. 

Stories of patients, including children and teenagers, who have found relief through ESM provide a glimpse into a variety of applications. Those familiar with traditional Chinese medicine, the chakra system or Carolyn Myss’ work will likely find much of this material oversimplified, but for those who are new to energy medicine, this is a good introduction to techniques that can be self-administered without risk of physical harm.

Bessel van der Kolk

Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma: A pioneering researcher and one of the world’s foremost experts on traumatic stress offers a bold new paradigm for healing

Trauma is a fact of life. Veterans and their families deal with the painful aftermath of combat; one in five Americans has been molested; one in four grew up with alcoholics; one in three couples have engaged in physical violence. Such experiences inevitably leave traces on minds, emotions, and even on biology. Sadly, trauma sufferers frequently pass on their stress to their partners and children.

Renowned trauma expert Bessel van der Kolk has spent over three decades working with survivors. In The Body Keeps the Score, he transforms our understanding of traumatic stress, revealing how it literally rearranges the brain’s wiring -- specifically areas dedicated to pleasure, engagement, control, and trust. He shows how these areas can be reactivated through innovative treatments including neurofeedback, mindfulness techniques, play, yoga, and other therapies. Based on Dr. van der Kolk’s own research and that of other leading specialists, The Body Keeps the Score offers proven alternatives to drugs and talk therapy -- and a way to reclaim lives.