Harnessing the Power of the Belonging Brain Systems

Harnessing the power of the Belonging Brain System

This course will cover careful exploration of the terminology and some of the neuroscientific history. The belonging brain system is unique among the primary level brain systems such as Safe, Care, Connection and Seeking. Belonging in a family, clan, community, peer group are examples of social relationships that enable our survival but contribute enormously to our well-being. The neurotransmitters: serotonin, dopamine and oxytocin are released in belonging and social experiences. These neurotransmitters promote feelings of bonding trust and connection with others (Strayhorn).

The Belonging brain systems utilize nonverbal communication, importance of eye gaze, implicit learning, synergy, metabolic activation, and emotional-psychophysiological feedback. The Belonging brain system, social connections and social motivation systems help us meet a variety of psychological and physical needs such as:

1. Self-esteem needs- respect, status, acknowledgement;
2. Belonging needs: friendships, support, community;
3. Safety needs: emotional, physical, danger; and
4. Physiological needs such food, water, shelter, clothing,
5. Sleep.

Goals of this training program are:
This course will be an experiential training course. You will learn practical approaches to learn:

1. How to detect these systems.
2. How can we access these powerhouses and the highly evolved social brain.
3. How do we work with it in therapy?
4. How to prioritize interventions to activate and facilitate the belonging brain system. For example, interventions such as unconditionality, no expectations, no judgments release some of the implicit constraints to the Belonging brain system and social motivation systems in each of us.

There will be exercises in which all of the participants will be able to practice interventions to activate Belonging systems. We will also focus on enabling you to have a felt sense of belonging.

Our treatment goals in addition to developing a therapeutic attachment relationship can include activating and facilitating Belonging brain system, social connection, social motivation systems and the release of oxytocin.

This course has been designed for therapists who are new to CIMBS and will provide many novel learning opportunities for therapists who have studied CIMBS for years.

Therapeutic Outcomes:

Our goal is to enable our patients/clients to become the author of their own lives, capable of making the best of any situation, continuously learning, and growing to the full extent of the neuroplasticity of their brains and fulfilling their lives.