Tag: MENTAL HEALTH

Mental health refers to a person’s emotional, psychological, and social well-being, encompassing the ability to handle stress, relate to others, make decisions, and navigate the challenges of life. It influences how individuals think, feel, and act, contributing to the overall balance and quality of their lives. Mental health is essential at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood.

Neuroscience Behind Reduced Mirror-Neuron Activity (Expanded)

©Linda C J Turner

Reduced mirror-neuron activation doesn’t mean someone is “bad” — it means their brain processes emotional signals differently.Below is a fuller breakdown of how this happens and why. 1. Avoidant Attachment Styles People with avoidant attachment learned early that emotional closeness felt unsafe or overwhelming. Brain mechanisms: The amygdala becomes triggered by intimacy rather than by separation. The prefrontal cortex learns… Read More Neuroscience Behind Reduced Mirror-Neuron Activity (Expanded)

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Mirror Neuron System & Empathy: Why Some People Don’t “Feel” What You Feel

By Linda C J Turner, Therapist & Advocate — Linda C J Turner Trauma Therapist | Neuroscience & Emotional Intelligence Practitioner | Advocate for Women’s Empowerment

What Are Mirror Neurons? Mirror neurons are brain cells that activate both when you perform an action and when you observe someone else doing it.They also activate when you see: facial expressions emotional reactions pain joy distress This system helps your brain simulate what another person is experiencing. In simple terms:Mirror neurons are the foundation of natural, automatic empathy. When Mirror… Read More Mirror Neuron System & Empathy: Why Some People Don’t “Feel” What You Feel

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Neuroscience Behind People Who Leave You Hanging

By Linda C J Turner, Therapist & Advocate — Linda C J Turner Trauma Therapist | Neuroscience & Emotional Intelligence Practitioner | Advocate for Women’s Empowerment

1. Avoidant Attachment & Threat Perception People who disappear, delay responses, or keep you waiting often have an avoidant attachment style.To them, closeness feels threatening — their amygdala (fear center) misinterprets emotional intimacy as loss of control or loss of independence. Brain mechanism: Amygdala → activates threat response Nervous system → pushes for distance Prefrontal cortex →… Read More Neuroscience Behind People Who Leave You Hanging

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Neuroscience and Psychology of Re-Learning Healthy Relationships After Abuse

1. Trauma Rewires the Brain Amygdala hyperactivation: Chronic abuse primes the brain’s threat system. The amygdala becomes hypersensitive, interpreting neutral or safe cues as dangerous. Prefrontal cortex suppression: Logical reasoning and decision-making circuits are often inhibited during trauma, making it harder to assess safety objectively. Hippocampal disruption: Trauma affects memory and context processing, leading to difficulty distinguishing past… Read More Neuroscience and Psychology of Re-Learning Healthy Relationships After Abuse

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Why People Don’t Believe Victims of Hidden Abuse

By Linda C J Turner, Therapist & Advocate — Linda C J Turner Trauma Therapist | Neuroscience & Emotional Intelligence Practitioner | Advocate for Women’s Empowerment ©Linda C J Turner

1. Cognitive Dissonance Psychology: Difficulty reconciling the image of a “good, polite, competent person” with allegations of abuse. Neurology: Prefrontal cortex resists integrating conflicting information → bias toward familiar, socially safe narratives. Social: People prefer simple stories; abuse behind closed doors challenges social assumptions. 2. Stereotypes of Abusers Psychology: Society expects abusers to be visibly angry, aggressive, or “monstrous.”… Read More Why People Don’t Believe Victims of Hidden Abuse

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The Hidden Nature of Perpetrators

By Linda C J Turner, Therapist & Advocate — Linda C J Turner Trauma Therapist | Neuroscience & Emotional Intelligence Practitioner | Advocate for Women’s Empowerment ©Linda C J Turner

1. The “Mask of Normalcy” Many perpetrators present themselves as charming, competent, polite, or socially respectable. This public persona is carefully curated to avoid suspicion, maintain social standing, and manipulate perceptions. High social intelligence Good communication skills Reliability in work or community roles Superficial warmth and empathy This is sometimes called “the façade of normalcy”, which conceals abusive… Read More The Hidden Nature of Perpetrators

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Neuroscience and Psychology Behind “Walls” and Letting Go

1. The Closed-Off Partner – Emotional Walls Psychology: People who continually “build walls” often have attachment injuries or avoidant attachment patterns. They may fear intimacy, vulnerability, or loss of autonomy. Behaviourally: They push others away even when love exists, as a form of self-protection. Neuroscience: The amygdala (threat detector) interprets closeness as potential danger. Every approach from a partner triggers a stress response,… Read More Neuroscience and Psychology Behind “Walls” and Letting Go

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Psychological Profile of This Behaviour (Property Damage After Disputes)

By Linda C J Turner, Therapist & Advocate — Linda C J Turner Trauma Therapist | Neuroscience & Emotional Intelligence Practitioner | Advocate for Women’s Empowerment ©Linda C J Turner

This pattern of behaviour — demanding entitlement to an asset and then the asset being vandalised soon after — aligns with psychological traits commonly observed in coercive control, retaliatory aggression, and entitlement-based conflict. Individuals who engage in this pattern typically show high sensitivity to perceived loss, rejection, or humiliation, which triggers a disproportionate emotional reaction. When they… Read More Psychological Profile of This Behaviour (Property Damage After Disputes)

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Why Someone Demands “Half the Car” and Then the Car Gets Vandalised Twice

When an ex-partner insists they are entitled to “half the car,” and soon after the car is keyed, damaged, repaired, and then keyed again within days, that pattern is not a coincidence.In coercive or abusive dynamics, this behaviour is often a form of retaliation, property intimidation, and psychological punishment. Below is the breakdown. 1. Retaliation for Losing Control… Read More Why Someone Demands “Half the Car” and Then the Car Gets Vandalised Twice

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Why They Complain About You “Not Selling the House” While They Keep Removing the For-Sale Signs — Neuroscience + Abuse Dynamics

This is not logical behaviour; it is control-based behaviour.Removing “For Sale” signs while accusing you of blocking the sale is a classic pattern seen in coercive control, pathological insecurity, and individuals who cannot tolerate loss of power. Below is what this behaviour typically means. 1. Cognitive Dissonance (“Two Opposite Beliefs at Once”) The brain cannot reconcile the… Read More Why They Complain About You “Not Selling the House” While They Keep Removing the For-Sale Signs — Neuroscience + Abuse Dynamics

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