Understanding Brain Function and Neuroplasticity as It Relates to - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Understanding Brain Function and Neuroplasticity as It Relates to Emotions and Growth Mindset Based primarily on the works of Dr. Daniel Siegel, author of The Whole-Brain Child and Dr. Carol Dweck, author of Mindset, The New Psychology of Success Presenter: Catherine Fuselier Price, School Counselor, The Chapel School, Bronxville, NY

Brain Integration Upper Brain (prefrontal cortex) Planning, thinking, imagining, problem solving Left Hemisphere Right Hemisphere Lower Brain (limbic system, brain stem) Breathing, blinking, ANGER, FEAR

Horizontal Integration = Healthy flow of information between the two hemispheres allowing them to work as a team, valuing both logic and emotion Corpus Collosum Legalistic - Letter of the Law Spirit of the law

If we are If we are Corpus Colosum ruled ruled predominan tly by our large gely y by left brain, our righ ght t the result may be brain, in, the rigidity. We resu sult t ca can n may loose Chaos the ability Rigidity be ch chaos os to be and nd we flexible, adaptable, may feel ma and to out of empathize with others . co cont ntro rol. l. When we are floating between the two extremes, we are emotionally healthy...flexible, adaptive, stable, and able to understand ourselves and the world. This is HORIZONTAL INTEGRATION.

Understanding this concept can help us to gage how well integrated a person is at a given time so that we can respond effectively. • Overly emotional without reasoning = right brain has taken over • Shut down and unwilling to examine feelings = left brain has taken over The key to helping a someone achieve horizontal integration is connecting with the side of the brain that is dominating. Once you have made a connection, you can lead him/her to engage the other hemisphere of the brain, or “connect and redirect”.

Example 1: One of your best students gets a 60 on a math test. She comes to your office very angry and tells you that she will never be good at math, that her parents are going to be mad at her because she failed, and that her friends are going to think she’s dumb. She crumples up the test, burst into tears, and throws it into the garbage.

A natural response might be to try to reason with the student by telling her: It’s just one test…you can do better on the next – one… Your Mom and Dad are going to love you no matter – what you get on a test… You can be good at math if you apply yourself! – Trying to reason logically with someone who is • overwhelmed with emotion is not likely to be effective. The right hemisphere is dominating and you are making an appeal to the left hemisphere of the brain.

Attempting to connect with the right side of her brain (which is clearly in control), is much more likely to have positive results. Once you have made a connection, you can begin to open communication with the left side of the brain, or connect and redirect. Here’s how: – Since the right brain is non-verbal, A concerned face, gentle tone of voice, and soothing touch is a good start. – Showing empathy by indicating that you understand her frustration with statements such as, "It sounds as if you are feeling awfully frustrated and worried right now….I hate to see you so upset… – Listen as long as possible without interrupting. – Gently redirect her by introducing left brain functions..."I can see how important this is to you…would you like to brainstorm ways that we might be able to make this better?”

Example 2: A student has a fight with his best friends and some things were said to him that were very painful. You see him sitting alone at lunch reading a book day after day and you encourage him to talk with his friends. He says that they are not his friends any more and that they are jerks and he doesn’t even care. He is speaking in a very matter-of-fact manner, but you know the importance of those friendships and you know that he is hurting. He is shutting out his emotions and has become rigid.

When we are hurt, it can feel safer to retreat to the logical left brain rather than deal with difficult emotions. Pointing out to your student that he is denying his feelings (e.g. they are your best friends, of course you care!) will most likely just frustrate him. Instead, connect with his left brain which is verbal by asking him to recount what happened (without judging). This might engage him in a conversation where you could stop to discuss how certain moments made him feel, drawing the right side of his brain into the picture so that he can acknowledge his feelings. Achieving horizontal integration will allow your student to face the situation honestly, and make decisions that are more likely to result in a positive outcome.

Stop to Consider Are you letting one side of your brain dominate? (Quiz) Right side: Do you become reactive and get frustrated, angry, or anxious when faced with difficult people or situations? Are you modeling horizontal integration? Left side: Are you more rigid in your thinking and actions and have a hard time empathizing or responding to people who are emotional? Being understood, accepted, and loved for who we are is a fundamental human need and crucial in developing emotional and mental health.

Wise Leader Security Guard

Upper and Lower Brain (Vertical) Integration Our lower brain includes the brain stem and the limbic region. These areas are referred to as the more primitive parts of the brain and are responsible for basic functions like breathing and blinking. They are also responsible for innate reactions (fight, flight, or freeze) and are linked with strong emotional responses (anger and fear). A key player in this area is the Amygdala (a good nickname for younger children is “the Security Guard ”).

Lower Brain Facts • It is developed at birth • When the Amygdala senses danger, it can allow us to act before we think • The Amygdala cannot distinguish between real danger and false alarms without input from the upper brain • It is associated with emotions and instincts. • It signals our bodies to release adrenalin and cortisol (a stress hormone) to give us the energy we need to respond to a threat (fight or flight).

Physical Manifestations of the Amygdala on Alert: • Heart pounding • Breath quickening • Muscle tension in the arms and legs • Stomach flipping, hurting, or feeling “butterflies” • Light-headedness • Vomiting • Sweating • Physical out of control sensation

PRE-FRONTAL CORTEX (WISE LEADER) Our upper brain is our cerebral cortex which includes the prefrontal cortex (younger students grasp the concept of wise leader of the brain) located behind our foreheads. This is the part of the brain where more complex mental processing takes place like thinking, imagining, decision making, and planning.

Facts about the Upper Brain: • It is not fully developed until a person is in their mid-twenties • It develops rapidly for the first few years of life and then undergoes a major remodel from the tween years into adulthood • It can disengage when the amygdala is flooded with distress signals • Although it is an organ, it acts like a muscle. It gets stronger and faster when used, and it becomes weaker and slower when ignored • Sound decision making, control over emotions and body, self- understanding, empathy, and morality are all upper brain functions. Vertical integration is achieved when the upper and lower brain are working together as if a staircase connects them so that information can flow up and down. The prefrontal cortex monitors the strong reactions of the amygdala and helps to calm them.

Examples of times when the lower brain overrides the upper : – A student freezes and cannot retrieve information when taking a test – A student is afraid to go back to class after the school evacuates for a small fire – Impulsive and inappropriate physical responses when angered The student’s body is flooded with adrenaline and cortizol (a stress hormone) and he/she is not capable of engaging the upper brain.

VERTICAL INTEGRATION We want to re-engage the prefrontal cortex instead of fueling  the lower brain. Logic (upper brain function) rarely works when the amygdala is dominating. Approaches will vary depending on temperament, but making  a connection is the first step as in horizontal integration. Once a connection has been made, helping the child to  identify the emotion is a key in what Dr. Siegel calls the “NAME IT TO TAME IT” process. When we identify an emotion we are experiencing, our  upper brain signals the release of fibers that cause the intense reaction of the amygdala to subside. This is when we can begin to problem solve.

Flipping Your Lid Dr. Daniel Siegel http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gm9CIJ74Oxw

When your student has flipped his lid, his upstairs brain is out of the picture. In this scenario, introducing consequences or attempting to problem solve are not useful as they are functions of the prefrontal cortex. Instead, the strategy of connect and redirect (as in horizontal integration) is more effective. • Concerned face • Calm tone of voice • Loving touch (if this suits your student’s temperament ) When the student is calmer, you can discuss the situation with him, teach him calming techniques when he feels his amygdala activating, and help him learn to express himself more appropriately.