Tag: neuroscience

Find Your Crowd: The Neuroscience of Surrounding Yourself with the Right People

Human beings are wired for connection. From a neuroscience perspective, our brains are social organs—constantly shaped and reshaped by the people around us. The company we keep doesn’t just influence our mood in the moment; it has lasting effects on how our brains process stress, motivation, and even self-worth. The Brain’s Social Wiring Neuroscience research… Read More Find Your Crowd: The Neuroscience of Surrounding Yourself with the Right People

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Lifetime Abuse: The Toll on the Abuser

1. Neuroscience: The Brain in a Constant State of Threat and Control 2. Psychological Effects Over Time 3. Long-Term Consequences Conclusion: The Abuser’s Decline Abuse leaves a double legacy: scars on the victims and corrosion within the abuser. Neuroscience shows that the brain adapts to repeated patterns of rage and control, while psychology reveals the hollowness and isolation… Read More Lifetime Abuse: The Toll on the Abuser

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Emotional Contagion: How We “Catch” Feelings From Others

What It Is Emotional contagion is the process by which we unconsciously “pick up” and mirror the emotions of people around us. Just like a yawn spreads in a room, so does a laugh, a sigh, or a heavy silence. We’re wired to absorb others’ feelings — it’s part of being human. Psychologists define emotional… Read More Emotional Contagion: How We “Catch” Feelings From Others

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When You’re the One Being Left Out: The Psychology and Neuroscience of Ostracism

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

Why It Hurts So Deeply Psychological Dynamics at Play Neuroscience of the Experience How to Cope When You’re Left Out 1. Name What’s Happening Instead of internalizing blame (“It must be me”), remind yourself: “This is ostracism. My brain is wired to hurt. This pain is real, but it doesn’t define my worth.” 2. Regulate the… Read More When You’re the One Being Left Out: The Psychology and Neuroscience of Ostracism

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Relearning Autonomy After Manipulation: The Strange Freedom of Making Your Own Choices

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

For anyone who has lived under the shadow of control, manipulation, or coercion, the moment of stepping into true autonomy can feel less like liberation and more like vertigo. Suddenly the air feels different—you’re not being told what to do, but instead left with the unnerving task of making your own decisions. At first, this… Read More Relearning Autonomy After Manipulation: The Strange Freedom of Making Your Own Choices

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Reclaiming Your Mind: The Neuroscience and Psychology of Moving Forward After 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

Life can deal unimaginable blows, and when those blows come from someone you trusted deeply—especially over decades—the psychological and emotional impact can feel overwhelming. Yesterday, you marked a profound milestone: deciding, in your mind and heart, that your abuser is no longer a presence in your life. From now on, your thoughts will focus on… Read More Reclaiming Your Mind: The Neuroscience and Psychology of Moving Forward After Abuse

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Ignored or Dismissed: The Brain’s Role in Denial

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

When a family member ignores or dismisses your experience, it’s not always a conscious act of cruelty—often, it’s tied to how the brain processes threatening information. 2. Blame-Shifting: Psychological Mechanisms Blame-shifting is when responsibility for abuse is deflected onto the survivor. Neuroscience and psychology explain why this happens: 3. Cover-Ups: Social and Neural Dynamics When family members… Read More Ignored or Dismissed: The Brain’s Role in Denial

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What Does the Real Research Say?

1. Light and Memory in Fruit Flies Researchers at Tokyo Metropolitan University found that fruit flies (Drosophila) could lose long-term, trauma-associated memories when kept in the dark. This works because the absence of light suppressed a protein (Pdf), disrupting another memory-related protein (CREB). But this research is limited strictly to insects—and far from clinical application in… Read More What Does the Real Research Say?

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Spineless

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

The Psychology of Secrets, Lies, and Blame: Why Some People Hide While Others Carry the Burden When we look back over decades of being lied to, manipulated, and blamed, the pain often runs deeper than the betrayal itself. It is the gutlessness—the refusal of another person to face reality, take responsibility, and come clean—that wounds most… Read More Spineless

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The Science of Knowing: When Connection Feels Undeniably Right

Sometimes the people around us don’t see what we see. Friends may raise eyebrows, outsiders may question, and logic may list reasons why a relationship “shouldn’t” work. And yet—when you look into someone’s eyes and feel warmth, safety, and a resonance you can’t fake—you know. This knowing is not wishful thinking. It is rooted in… Read More The Science of Knowing: When Connection Feels Undeniably Right

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