The Social Brain: Our Superpower to Change (Part 2)

The social brain theory originated in the 1990s when American medical psychiatrist, professor, and neuroscientist Leslie Brothers proposed a circumscribed set of brain regions dedicated to social cognition.[1] Brothers called this set of regions the social brain and listed the amygdala, orbital frontal cortex, and temporal cortex as its major components.[2] The social brain is the brain that allows us to interact with other people.[3] Another American psychologist and professor Louis Cozolino also indicates that interactions and relationships stimulate everyone’s brain.[4]

I find that to be true, particularly in coaching sessions. Being with my clients, supporting them to understand and question their own programmed beliefs, thoughts, and behaviors, and witnessing new insights emerging generates a sense of peace, hope, and clarity around what is possible.

Cozolino also talks about the role nurturing environments have on our brain development. He found that those children's brains in a less nurturing environment can be up to half the size of children who develop in reciprocal and stimulating environments.[5] Even though we cannot go back in time to change our environments, we can choose to stimulate our brains and seek nurturing, powerful settings in the here and now. According to Cozolino, just like when an individual neuron does not connect with other neurons, it withers, dies, and is cleaned away; that same process is also true for humans. If we do not connect or have relationships, we start to atrophy.[6]

A few weeks ago, my state of mind was deteriorating. Perhaps the lack of sun, the low temperatures, the grey skies, and the little to no social interactions were harming my thoughts and behaviors.

Feeling alone and on my own, comparing myself to others, and being overly critical were ways I reinforced my rigid matrix. After a few interactions with classmates, my mentor, coach, and friends, I started to see more clearly and breathe in more easily. People were like a pair of new glasses and a puff of much-needed oxygen. “Brains evolve to connect and learn from one another. It is not an accident that therapy developed as a relationship-based,” [7] says Cozolino.

Although coaching, a mentoring session, or a small group gathering with good friends is different from therapy, these nurturing, loving, caring, and empathetic exchanges can contribute to our brain’s plasticity and rematrixing. What science is telling us is also that transformation happens together by sharing our own presence and power.

Cozolino states that people can survive just about anything if they are connected with other people and can talk it through.[8] Grieving the death of a loved one, seeing the oldest child go to college, confronting the deceit by a close friend, being shut down by an authority figure, or facing an illness are some of the hardships friends and clients have shared with me. In many cases, an answer, a solution, not even a word is necessary – just the presence of another caring human being listening attentively and holding space has a tremendous impact.

I could not agree more with Cozolino. He says that, in therapy, the therapist’s humanity is the active ingredient in the treatment. However, under the surface, scientifically, what is happening is that the therapist is actually stimulating neuroplasticity.[9] We all need each other to learn, grow, and be encouraged. But when connecting and reaching out to friends or family is not an option, a Transformational Life or Career Coach might be the answer. Learn more about how to activate your brain, start your rewiring, and find your breakthrough at?Breaking Through Transformational Life and Career Coaching.

[1] Frith, Chris D. “The Social Brain?” April 29, 2007. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1919402/#bib11 (Retrieved March 9, 2022.)

[2] Ibid.

[3] Ibid.

[4] Cozolino, Louis and Ruth Buczynski. “The Neuroscience of Psychotherapy.” https://www.itineriscoaching.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Neuroscience-of-Psychotherapy-Louis-Cozolino.pdf (Retrieved March 8, 2022.)

[5] Ibid.

[6] Cozolino, Louis and Ruth Buczynski. “The Neuroscience of Psychotherapy.” https://www.itineriscoaching.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Neuroscience-of-Psychotherapy-Louis-Cozolino.pdf (Retrieved March 8, 2022.)

[7] Ibid.

[8] Ibid.

[9] Cozolino, Louis and Ruth Buczynski. “The Neuroscience of Psychotherapy.” https://www.itineriscoaching.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Neuroscience-of-Psychotherapy-Louis-Cozolino.pdf (Retrieved March 8, 2022.)