Faulty Neuroception Is Not Our Fault
The Science Behind Why We Miss Red Flags In Relationships & How To Begin To Rewire Our Brains & Bodies
We’ve probably heard these phrases before, from our friends, or friends of friends, colleagues, clients or neighbors:
“Why didn’t she just leave?”…
“I can’t believe she couldn’t see he was no good.”…
“I saw that coming,” (eye roll)…
“Why did it take you take you so long to say no to so-and-so?”…
Maybe this is you. Or maybe you’ve said something similar to a close friend or colleague. Maybe you keep giving people the ‘benefit of the doubt’ over and over and keep getting burned. Why?
Like some, maybe you’ve experienced abuse and you’re so tired of reading things like this and not knowing what to do about it. I’m here to inform you that you can’t think your way out of a neurophysiological pattern.
Time does not heal all wounds.
The paradox - going under the surface and deep into our neurophysiology through somatic processing and staying consistent with therapeutic somatic integration protocols, we can rewire our brains (regenerative neuroplasticity) and bodies.
We can learn to trust our gut, notice when things aren’t ‘right’ and course-correct.
What Is Neuroception?
Neuroscientist and Attachment Science leader Dan Siegel, MD, describes neuroception as how neural networks distinguish whether situations or people are safe, dangerous or life threatening.
Sounds like pretty important stuff. See a bear, shark, or snake, slowly move away and remove yourself from danger.
Or, those moments when you’re driving and some split second impulse to turn the wheel saves you and others from what seems like it could have been a big accident. Heart races, time becomes multi-dimensional. Simple enough, primal stuff, right?
These are basic brainstem survival impulses. Things get (way) more complicated when we look at trauma and how trauma effects the brain and body.