Being a Brain-Wise Therapist: A Practical Guide to Interpersonal Neurobiology

Bonnie Badenoch

Hear Bonnie Badenoch interviewed about her book on Psychjourney's audio book club

Advance Acclaim

“[Badenoch] artfully weaves between science and practical application, showing how principles of interpersonal neurobiology can be applied in clinical work.”
— Ellyn Bader, PhD, co-founder of The Couples Institute

“Any college-level collection strong in psychology and medicine needs this, which adds exercises and case histories for more lively coverage.”
— The Midwest Book Review

“Bonnie Badenoch has written a fascinating and passionate account of how discoveries in neuroscience can illuminate patient-therapist relationships. The integration of basic scientific knowledge with the daily practice of therapy promises to be revolutionary, as the awareness of the neural mechanisms of empathy powerfully boosts mutual care and understanding.”
— Marco Iacoboni, M.D., Ph.D, author of Mirroring People: The New Science of How We Connect with Others

“I recommend Badenoch's creative volume to clinicians interested in valuable practical clinical applications of the recent advances in neuroscience.”
— Allan N. Schore, Ph.D., Editor, Norton Series on Interpersonal Neurobiology

Overview

Neuroscientific discoveries have begun to illuminate the workings of the active brain in intricate detail. In fact, sometimes it seems that in order to be a cutting-edge therapist, not only do you need knowledge of traditional psychotherapeutic models, but a solid understanding of the role the brain plays as well. But theory is never enough. You also need to know how to apply the theories to work with actual clients during sessions.

This book, the latest addition to the acclaimed Norton Series on Interpersonal Neurobiology, brings interpersonal neurobiology into the counseling room, weaving the concepts of neurobiology into the ever-changing flow of therapy.

In easy-to-understand prose, Being a Brain-Wise Therapist reviews the basic principles about brain structure, function, and development, and explains the neurobiological correlates of some familiar diagnostic categories. You will learn how to make theory come to life in the midst of clinical work, so that the principles of interpersonal neurobiology can be applied to a range of patients and issues, such as couples, teens, and children, and those dealing with depression, anxiety, and other disorders. Liberal use of exercises and case histories enliven the material and make this an essential guide for seamlessly integrating the latest neuroscientific research into your therapeutic practice.

Contents

Foreword by Daniel J. Siegel

Introduction

Part I: Theoretical Foundations
1. Preliminary Thoughts
2. The Brain’s Building Blocks
3. The Brain’s Flow
4. The Relationship between Brain and Mind
5. Attaching
6. Picturing the Inner Community
7. The Mutuality of the Therapeutic Relationship
8. An Application: Embracing Shame

Part II: Practical Matters
9. Preliminary Thoughts
10. Through the Lens of Diagnosis: Depression, Anxiety, Dissociation, and Addiction
11. Grounding Therapy in the Right Brain
12. Listening to Family Histories
13. The Three Faces of Mindfulness
14. Getting Comfortable with the Brain
15. Patterning the Internal Work
16. The Integrating Power of Sandplay
17. Doing Art

Part III: Working with Couples, Teens, and Children
18. Preliminary Thoughts
19. Keeping Our Balance with Couples
20. Meeting Teens with Their Brains in Mind
21. Playing with Children, Supporting Their Parents

References

Index

From the Foreword by Daniel J. Siegel

Being a Brain-Wise Therapist is filled with the wisdom of a seasoned front-line therapist who writes like a poet and understands science as if she were a full-time academician. What a rewarding combination! Journeying through these pages offers us an opportunity to explore the fundamental ideas of Interpersonal Neurobiology (IPNB), an interdisciplinary view of the mind and human development built upon a wide range of sciences and therapeutic arts. Through theory and practice, the stories ahead enable us to see the direct applications of this approach in various clinical situations.

Applying scientific ideas to the field of psychotherapy is no easy task. Without rigor, it is easy to slip into overly simplistic views of complex conditions. This risk is always present when we draw on objective research findings as we attempt to create clear conclusions that then can be applied to the subjective world of clinical interventions. In this book you will find an artist’s hand that paints a clear and useful picture as it reaches a beautiful balance between what we know from science and what may possibly be occurring in our subjective inner and interpersonal worlds of our therapeutic efforts.

About the Author

Bonnie Badenoch, MA, LMFT is a marriage and family therapist, president of the Global Association for Interpersonal Neurobiology Studies (GAINS), and founder and executive director of the Center of Hope and Healing in Irvine, California.

ISBN 13: 978-0-393-70554-6
ISBN 10: 0-393-70554-4
2008 / 380 pages / paperback