Chapter 30: More reward, less punishment

When we practice punishment in the name of prevention, we don't actually reinforce the repetition of healthful or lawful behaviors. Punishment simply reinforces the stress response that motivates us to avoid punishment, whether by fighting, fleeing, or freezing when caught. What's needed is a sense of trust, hope, or reward to lower our stress response, to promote healthful neurological activity that allows information to be processed in a non-threatening way, to rebalance and strengthen our mental system.