Understanding Interpersonal Neurobiology

Our children's nervous systems are a carbon copy of ours. Understanding interpersonal neurobiology means what's going on inside the parents is also going on inside the child. If we want to calm our children, then we must first learn to calm our own nervous systems. Clinical psychologist, Dr. Sandy Gluckman shares tools with parents to heal themselves and their children of trauma, calm their nervous systems and reduce cortisol levels in order to de-flame the brain and rewire the belief system.

Three Key Points

· Healing trauma means healing the nervous system. Dr. Sandy explains that children and adults living with trauma are functioning as survivors and not as “thrivers.” Hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of parents and children are living life as survivors. Most people operate out of the wrong branch of the nervous system. To become whole again, we must change lanes out of the sympathetic into the parasympathetic.

· Parents need to become trauma-informed and know the signs of trauma. Dr. Sandy would love for every parent in a blended family to say, “We’ve had trauma. We’ve all had trauma and we’re going to educate ourselves on what this means.” We cannot hide trauma or push it away. A child does not wake up one morning and say, “I’m going to be defiant today!”

· A few little pieces of advice. Dr. Sandy advises parents to never talk about the behavior that you’re trying to improve. She prefers to get in behind the behavior and talk about what’s going on behind. Is the child being anxious, afraid, frustrated, annoyed, irritated, or confused? It’s important to connect with the child. Dr. Sandy suggests some resources and roleplay to help the child get over the trauma response in the nervous system.

Dr. Sandy Gluckman: Website

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website: www.nuclear-families.com