Emotional BrainLimbic System

Emotional BrainLimbic System

Review of Brain Development

Review of Brain Development

» Brain organized in a vertical system

» Areas organize and change as the brain develops

» The brain develops sequentially

» Brain organized in a vertical system

» Areas organize and change as the brain develops

» The brain develops sequentially

Emotional EnvironmentEmotional Environment

» Emotional environment and the child’s emotional responses determine brain modulation

» Emotional environment and the child’s emotional responses determine brain modulation

Limbic SystemLimbic System

» Consists of donut shaped structures that wrap around the brain stem in the middle of the brain

» Brain’s specialist for emotional matters

» Sense of smell is processed directly in the limbic system

» Consists of donut shaped structures that wrap around the brain stem in the middle of the brain

» Brain’s specialist for emotional matters

» Sense of smell is processed directly in the limbic system

MemoryMemory

» Limbic system does most of brain’s long term learning and remembering

» Hippocampus converts short term to long term memory

» Limbic system does most of brain’s long term learning and remembering

» Hippocampus converts short term to long term memory

Memory cont’dMemory cont’d» We remember

what we pay attention to, we pay attention to what we care about

» The more intense the emotional arousal, the stronger the imprint

» We remember what we pay attention to, we pay attention to what we care about

» The more intense the emotional arousal, the stronger the imprint

Memory Con’dMemory Con’d

» Many potent emotional memories date from the first few years of life

» Many potent emotional memories date from the first few years of life

Development of Emotional CircuitsDevelopment of

Emotional Circuits» Among first brain constructs are those

that process emotion - laid down before birth

» Early emotional experiences form a kind of template around which later emotional development is organized

» These experiences have”a disproportionate importance” in organizing the mature brain.

» Among first brain constructs are those that process emotion - laid down before birth

» Early emotional experiences form a kind of template around which later emotional development is organized

» These experiences have”a disproportionate importance” in organizing the mature brain.

Limbic System cont’dLimbic System cont’d

» Emotions develop in layers, each more complex than the last as the child responds to her emotional environment

» Emotional learning becomes ingrained as experiences are repeated over and over

» Emotions develop in layers, each more complex than the last as the child responds to her emotional environment

» Emotional learning becomes ingrained as experiences are repeated over and over

Prefrontal LobesPrefrontal Lobes» Regulate emotional

responses, and are developed and connected with the limbic system early in life (8-18 mos).

» Continue to develop well into late adolescence

» Neural pathways in limbic system and prefrontal lobes provide framework for Emotional Intelligence

» Regulate emotional responses, and are developed and connected with the limbic system early in life (8-18 mos).

» Continue to develop well into late adolescence

» Neural pathways in limbic system and prefrontal lobes provide framework for Emotional Intelligence

Emotional IntelligenceEmotional Intelligence

http://psychology.about.com/library/quiz/bl_eq_quiz.htm

Emotional Intelligence Defined

Emotional Intelligence Defined

» Peter Salovey, Yale psychologist and John Mayer, University of New Hampshire psychologist first proposed that we also have emotional intelligence

» Daniel Goleman popularized this in his book Emotional Intelligence

» Peter Salovey, Yale psychologist and John Mayer, University of New Hampshire psychologist first proposed that we also have emotional intelligence

» Daniel Goleman popularized this in his book Emotional Intelligence

Five Domains of Emotional Intelligence

Five Domains of Emotional Intelligence

Self-AwarenessSelf-Awareness

» Knowing your feelings and using them to make life decisions you can live with (pleasant, unpleasant and multiple emotions)

» Knowing your feelings and using them to make life decisions you can live with (pleasant, unpleasant and multiple emotions)

Mood ManagementMood Management

» The ability to handle distressing emotions in appropriate ways to maintain our well being

» The ability to handle distressing emotions in appropriate ways to maintain our well being

Self-MotivationSelf-Motivation

» Persisting in the face of setbacks and channeling your impulses in order to pursue your goals

» Persisting in the face of setbacks and channeling your impulses in order to pursue your goals

EmpathyEmpathy

» Ability to recognize and share another’s feelings

» Ability to recognize and share another’s feelings

Social ArtsSocial Arts

» Ability to interact with others in positive and socially acceptable ways

» Ability to interact with others in positive and socially acceptable ways

Why is this important and when does it start?

Why is this important and when does it start?

» Studies show that EQ is a better predictor of job success that IQ

» Schools who have EI programs see improvement in emotional skills and academic achievement

» It starts in the beginning and throughout life

» Studies show that EQ is a better predictor of job success that IQ

» Schools who have EI programs see improvement in emotional skills and academic achievement

» It starts in the beginning and throughout life

Basic Needs for the Foundation of Emotional Intelligence

Basic Needs for the Foundation of Emotional Intelligence

SurvivalSurvival

» Essential children feel secure that their needs for survival are being met

» Fundamental task of infant is how to get needs met in his world

» Essential children feel secure that their needs for survival are being met

» Fundamental task of infant is how to get needs met in his world

LoveLove» Child needs to feel loved

and emotionally secure» Pre-wired to fall madly in

love with caregiver» Consistent, nurturing

relationships with same caregiver early in life is essential

» Secure attachment is only beginning

» http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLrBrk9DXVk&feature=related

» Child needs to feel loved and emotionally secure

» Pre-wired to fall madly in love with caregiver

» Consistent, nurturing relationships with same caregiver early in life is essential

» Secure attachment is only beginning

» http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fLrBrk9DXVk&feature=related

AttachmentAttachment

» Mary Ainsworth came up with stranger situation

» http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36GI_1PBQpM&feature=related

» Discovered 4 types of attachment patterns

» Mary Ainsworth came up with stranger situation

» http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36GI_1PBQpM&feature=related

» Discovered 4 types of attachment patterns

Fostering Secure Attachment

Fostering Secure Attachment

» Collaboration» Reflective Dialog» Repair» Coherent

Narratives» Emotional

Communication

» Collaboration» Reflective Dialog» Repair» Coherent

Narratives» Emotional

Communication

AttunementAttunement

» Child needs inner feelings accepted and mirrored back to them by caregivers

» Brain uses same pathways to generate an emotion as to respond

» Those emotions repeatedly met with indifference of clashing response may fail to strengthen or be eliminated

» Feelings mirrored back help children develop self-awareness, the foundation to EI

» Child needs inner feelings accepted and mirrored back to them by caregivers

» Brain uses same pathways to generate an emotion as to respond

» Those emotions repeatedly met with indifference of clashing response may fail to strengthen or be eliminated

» Feelings mirrored back help children develop self-awareness, the foundation to EI

SoothingSoothing

» Child needs to feel soothed when distressed

» These experiences wire the brain’s “calm down” circuit in the prefrontal cortex so child can learn to calm themselves

» Self-soothing or centering is fundamental life skill

» Child needs to feel soothed when distressed

» These experiences wire the brain’s “calm down” circuit in the prefrontal cortex so child can learn to calm themselves

» Self-soothing or centering is fundamental life skill

Encouragement and Boundaries

Encouragement and Boundaries

» Child needs encouragement and appropriate boundaries to allow innate temperament to blossom into healthy personality

» Bold vs. Shy

» Child needs encouragement and appropriate boundaries to allow innate temperament to blossom into healthy personality

» Bold vs. Shy