What is a neuro-focused approach?

Neuro-focused counseling is based on the fundamentals of proven psychological methods and the current understanding of neuroplasticity.

 

Neuroplasticity means your brain structure, functions, and processes remain moldable, like plastic, over your life span.

 

For example, people injured by strokes or traumatic brain injuries can  relearn lost information and skills using new or different areas of the brain.

 

In addition, brain scans have demonstrated that your neural network and structure change in response to new experiences, information, and even what you imagine.

 

See, your brain accepts your thoughts as reality, so be careful what you think. 

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Neuroplasticity relies on neurogenesis, meaning that learning forms new connections and neural networks throughout your life.

 

Neurogenesis occurs in response to any novel situation or experience, including those imagined in counseling.

 

That’s why seniors are  encouraged to continue challenging their brains and learning new information and skills, including dance. 

 

We’ve discovered that exercise aids neurogenesis by increasing blood flow and positive neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine.

 

As a result, it helps your mind and body in numerous ways, relieving the adverse effects of stress and positively affecting stress-related disorders,  including depression and anxiety.

 

If you’ve read my book, Brain Retrain™: The How-To Renew Your Mind Guide, you know that exercise, and the same neuro-focused methods I use to help my clients, cured my anxiety & depression, resulting in my losing 40 lbs.! 

 

Additional factors that increase neurogenesis include attention, focus, positive expectations, prayer, and  gratitude.

 

When you pay close attention to new experiences, your arousal and focus learning centers activate, particularly the reticular activating system  (R.A.S.).

 

The R.A.S. determines which stimuli are relevant to create emotions, thoughts, and responses. Focusing your attention specifically on what you want to change and then a positive expected outcome increases  neurogenesis.  

 

While focused attention helps your brain identify neurons to change, emotions provide the chemical power and  motivation to change.

 

Emotions activate different areas in your brain that are important for learning new information and interpreting old data in a new way. They stimulate the  release of stress chemicals and healing chemicals like 

serotonin and dopamine, depending on how you perceive what’s happening to you or within you.

 

We’ll generate the right emotions to motivate change by focusing on positive outcomes, practical thinking, and gratitude.  

 

The problem with traditional talk therapy is that it places our focus on negative issues, building a self-reinforcing loop between your negative emotions and your frontal cortex.

 

In other words, talking about your problems repeatedly ingrains negative emotions, experiences, and future outcomes deeper in your brain.

 

Likewise, focusing on positive emotions and outcomes, acknowledging every improvement, and purposefully feeling grateful results in more positive outcomes.

 

In addition, it increases feel-good chemicals like serotonin and dopamine, which improve your overall state of being. 

 

To sum it up, neuro-focused counseling takes advantage of what we know about the brain and how it learns to  either have a problem or see and act on potential  solutions.

 

See, you’re not too old, sick, hurt, angry, or afraid to change.

 

Together, we’ll use neuro-focused counseling to change your mind and life!

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This information was inspired by a list of neuroplasticity elements in this article by Ivey et al. on  Counseling Today, however much of what I’ve learned so  far has resulted from studying Rational Emotive Behavior  Therapy, NeuroLinguistic Programming and listening to leading neuroscientist, Stanford University professor, Dr.  Andrew Huberman.