The Fear Continuum

There is a counselling argument that can be made based on a proposition that all non-chemical psychological disturbance can be traced to the degree of fear which is held within a life. This could be analysed as the extent to which an adrenalin impulse is present or managed.

Consider the new born baby; no, actually consider the moment of conception and the developing foetus which can experience cross membrane hormonal influence where the mother suffers extreme stress. Returning to the new born: an infant is born with no experience of it’s environment other than the womb. The infants brain is the proverbial sponge waiting to absorb what actually happens, what it actually experiences. The only developed part of the brain is the amygdala: the primitive fear response. The baby’s only immediate understanding of it’s environment in terms of reaction is based upon the automatic response of the amygdala: everything is frightening, you need to protect yourself or to be protected, and then the dopamine response will tell you everything is ok. You will have been comforted. The more that the baby receives comfort and love the more it will trust the environment to be safe.

When people come into the counselling room so often the cause is based upon the absence of trust in the environment and an absence of valuing of themselves. Counselling seeks to bring what has not been experienced before and to explore a life so that feelings driven behaviour can be understood and the patterns modified. the wonderful thing about neuroscience as well is that it tells us that modifying the brain is possible.

Visit www.cheltenhamcounsellor.co.uk for more information.