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NEUROSCIENCE & POSITIVE

EDUCATION

SUPPORTING OUR CHILDREN TO FLOURISH.

DR SARAH ANTICICHadmin@gritnz.com

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THE PLAN How do we support our children to flourish?

TAKE HOME MESSAGES

WHAT DO WE KNOW FROM SCIENCE?

INTERPERSONAL NEUROBIOLOGY – A FRAMEWORK FOR FLOURISHING.• Attuned communication & relational engagement.

• The Embodied Brain

• The Mind

PUTTING THIS INTO ACTION – TEACHABLE SKILLS

• 3 R’s of education

• Mindsight

TAKE HOME MESSAGES

▪ Teachers, educators and parents are in a key position to

effect change.

▪ Relational engagement and attuned communication = key to

wellbeing.

▪ Understanding the embodied brain and the mind will support

flourishing.

▪ The mindsight skills required to achieve flourishing are

teachable – mindfulness is a key integrative skill.

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T H E U N I Q U E L Y H U M A N G I F T O F R E L A T I O N A L E N G A G E M E N T I S S U F F E R I N G .

What do we know?

WE HAVE TO BE INTENTIONAL ABOUT THE ENVIORONMENTS AND

EXPEREINCES WE EXPOSE OUR CHILDREN TO.

Y O U R B R A I N R E F E L C T S T H E W O R L D Y O U G R O W U P I N .

WE ARE STUGGLING TO KEEP UP WITH THE RATE OF TECHNOLICAL

ADVANCEMENT.

T E C H N O L O G I C A L A D V A N C E M E N T I S R A P I D .

SOCIOCUTURAL CONTEXT

TECHNOLOGY ADVANCING

QUICKER THAN WE CAN EVOLVE

RELATIONAL ENGAGEMENT

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• We are all part of a transgenerational process which can shape the future.

• Referred to as sociocultural evolution = not everything we invent is good, and not

everything we invented is sustained.

• The fundamental architecture of creating relational neurobiological networks in our

brain is changing.

• Conservative estimate = 1/20th of the relational density of hunter gather living.

• We need to intentionally and effectively address relational poverty.

SOCIOCULTURAL CHANGESIGNIFICANT CHANGE IN THE RELATIONAL MILIEU OF THE MODERN WORLD.

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“IN THE PROCESS OF INVENTING THE

FUTURE, WE HAVE INVENTED SOME

THINGS THAT ARE REALLY

WONDERFUL…AND WE HAVE INVENTED

SOME PRACTICES THAT ACTUALLY ARE

QUITE DISRESPECTFUL OF SOME OF OUR

GENETIC GIFTS INCLUDING THE POWER

OF RELATIONSHIPS AND THE BRAIN’S

MALLEABILITY”

D R B R U C E P E R R Y

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• Increased self absorption.

• Increasing anxiety, mood disorders and psychopathology.

• Difficulties with distress tolerance and affect regulation.

• Loneliness and lack of relational connectedness.

• Reduction in perspective taking and empathy.

• Immature relational behavior.

• Identity difficulties.

• Suicide and self harm.

TRENDS… WHAT ARE WE SEEING?…

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How do we do things differently?

S C O O L S & T E A C H E R S A R E I N A K E Y P O S I T I O N T O E F F E C T C H A N G E .

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U N D E R S T A N D T H E E M O B O D I E D B R A I N .

I N T E N T I O N A L L Y A N D E F F E C T I V E L Y A D D R E S S R E L A T I O N A L P O V E R T Y T H R O U G H A T T U N E D

C O M M U N C I A T I O N .

T E A C H A B L E S K I L L S – 3 3 R ’ S O F E D C U A T I O NRELATIONSHIPS

R E F L E C T I O NRESILIENCE.

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WHAT IS INTEPERSONAL NEUROBIOLOGY?A CONSILIENT FRAMEWORK THAT EMBRACES ALL BRANCHES OF SCIENCE TO SEEK

COMMON UNIVERSAL FINDINGS & EXPAND OUR KNOWLEDGE OF THE MIND AND WELL-

BEING.

INTERACTION BETWEEN THE 3 POINTS

OF THE TRIANGLE

The structure and function of the

developing brain is determined by

experiences, especially

interpersonal relationships

(attachment), which shape the

maturation of the nervous system.

DR SARAH ANTICICH

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• Neuroscience provides us with new insights into how experience shapes mental processes.

• This is exciting – by understanding the connections between mental processes, interpersonal

relationships and brain functioning we can intentionally build healthy minds, attuned relationships

and support our children to flourish.

• Integrative mindsight skills are teachable.

• Attuned communication and relational engagement directly influences neural connections and

shapes mental processes including; memory, emotion and self awareness.

IPBN WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR EDUCATION?

Teaching is about relationships and interactions

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Relationships

N A M E

RELATIONSHIPS ARE KEY TO BRAIN DEVELOPMENT

• Survival dependent on the ability to communicate, bond and share with others.

• Relationship skills have to be learnt – just like every other skill (e.g. language).

• Positive relational interactions regulate the brain’s stress response.

• Powerful regulation effects of healthy, familiar, supportive relationships – buffer from stress.

• Secure attachment relationships – highly protective.

DR SARAH ANTICICH

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WE FLOURISH WHEN WE FEEL …

Safe

Seen

Soothed

Secure

We can achieve this through attention to relational engagement and attuned communication.

SECURE ATTACHMENT

Attachment = an inborn system within mammals that has evolved in ways that influence and organise motivational, emotional and memory process with respect to significant caregiving figures.

The attachment system motivates infants to seek proximity to primary caregivers in order

to be soothed from harm.

SECURE ATTACHMENT … HOW IT WORKS.

• Mum runs to soothe her baby – tapping into a set of memories from own childhood.

• Triggering memory = releases several important neurotransmitters.

• Dopamine – connected with a sense of desire and wanting = pulls mum towards the child.

• Endorphins “endogenous opioids,” aka the brain’s own private heroin - produce pleasure, contentment, and relaxation that mother and baby enjoy together..

• So now the mum’s stress response system, having been activated by mirroring that of her distressed infant, quiets down.

• The same thing happens to the baby.

• These chemicals and the pleasure they produce are the glue that bonds us.

• When a mom nurtures a baby—or when anyone acts to form a kind and trusting connection—another protein is also released “oxytocin”.

DR SARAH ANTICICH

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The Brain

N A M E

BRAIN DEFINITION

The astrochemical energy and information flow mechanism of the body.

Body is the mechanisms of flow.

Relationships are the sharing of flow.

Mind is the regulation of flow.

Input from the nervous system, blood stream, digestive system, heart, Immune system

DR SARAH ANTICICH

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THE BRAIN DEVLEOPS IN A USE DEPENDENT WAY

• The normal organization of any brain area or capability is ‘use’-dependent.

• Neurodevelopment is dependent upon the presence, pattern, frequency and timing experiences during development.

• When provided with more patterned activity (e.g., music, reading, and conversation), the brain systems responsible for these tasks will organize and be functionally “healthier.”

• Children exposed to consistent, predictable, nurturing and enriched experiences will develop neurobiological capabilities that will increase the child’s chance for health, happiness, productivity and creativity.

DR SARAH ANTICICH

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THE BRAIN STEM(REPTILIAN BRAIN)

• Controls the flow of messages between the brain and the rest of the body.

• Controls basic ”automatic” body functions… Breathing, swallowing, heart rate,

blood pressure, consciousness, and whether one is awake or sleepy.

• Midbrain involved in regulating sleep, appetite, pleasure, motivation, and

attention.

• It is here many stress response systems originate, sending direct connections

down to the reptilian brain and up to higher areas, reaching throughout the

brain.

DR SARAH ANTICICH

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THE LIMBIC SYSTEM(EMOTIONAL BRAIN)

Key Functions:

• Memory

• Experience and expression of emotion.

• Arousal

• Regulation of thirst, hunger and mood

• Reward processing

• Movement and learning

DR SARAH ANTICICH

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THE THINKING BRAIN & PFC

Key Functions = higher executive functions.

• Emotion regulation

• Planning

• Reasoning and problem solving

• PFC more elaborated in humans

• PFC highly integrative – connects everything

• Anatomic location of this region of the brain is in a position to co-ordinate and balance

DR SARAH ANTICICH

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Flipping your lid

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Upstairs/Downstairs Brain

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The Mind

N A M E

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• The mind is not separate from our brain or relationships, it arises from it and regulates them.

• The mind emerges from the activity of the brain, whose structure and function are directly

shaped by interpersonal experience

• Mental life is filled with inner experiences; thoughts, feelings, images, memories, hopes, attitudes,

intentions, beliefs, and dreams and directly affects behaviour.

WHAT IS THE MIND?A EMERGENT AND SELF ORGANIZING PROCESS THAT REGULATES ENERGY AND INFORMATION FLOW

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D A N S I E G E L

“A core feature of the human mind is a relational and embodied process that

regulates the flow of energy and information”

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• Skills to integrate our brains and our bodies, linking differentiated areas of neural

function to one another.

• To promote integrative & compassionate communication in our relationships.

THE ULTIMATE OUTCOME OF SUCH EMBODIED AND RELATIONAL INTEGRATION IS

KINDNESS, COMPASSION AND WELLBEING.

W E C A N L E A R N …

MINDSIGHT

Mindsight “WIN, WIN”

Mindsight = the ability to see the mental world of the self and others.

A teachable skills with benefits for all.

The mechanism beneath social and emotional intelligence

Cultivating these forms of intelligence = associated with improved academic performance, emotional well being and decreases in bullying

Key to secure attachment and attuned parenting.

Provides resilience in face of stressors.

MINDSIGHT CURRICULUM – INTERNAL EDUCATION

PREPARING KIDS FROM THE INSIDE OUT.

Reading writing and arithmetic are vitally important.

3 additional ”R,s” may be added to our list to greatly enhance modern education;

Reflection

Relationships

Resilience

9 TEACHABLE SKILLS

Regulate your body.

Attune to other people.

Demonstrate empathy.

Learn flexibility in responses.

Modulate fear and go after stuff in life.

Develop insight into the self.

Empathy to make sense of others perspective.

Morality

Use intuition to be creative in life.

MINDFULNESS …. A GREAT PLACE TO START

• All 9 are proven outcomes of mindfulness practice.

• Mindfulness is highly integrative

• All mindfulness based stress reduction, develops prefrontal regulatory functions = PROVEN OUTCOMES.

DR SARAH ANTICICH

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TEACHING MINDFULLY

“The foundation for teaching mindfully is always our own mindfulness practice.”

Daniel Rechtschaffen

TAKE HOME MESSAGES

▪ Teachers, educators and parents are in a key position to

effect change.

▪ Relational engagement and attuned communication = key to

wellbeing.

▪ Understanding the embodied brain and the mind will support

flourishing.

▪ The mindsight skills required to achieve flourishing are

teachable – mindfulness is a key integrative skill.

OTHER ACTIVITIES TO TRY:

• Body Scan

• Stay With That- a practice of noticing and naming your feelings without judgment

• Focusing on the breath

• Walking Meditation

• SIFT- process of deliberately accessing your Sensations, Feelings, and Thoughts

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OTHER ACTIVITIES TO TRY:

• Non-verbal communication game of copying someone else’s facial expression and guessing the emotion.

• Non-verbal communication game of watching TV with the sound off and letting your brain ‘fill-in the blank.

• Journaling about your day in pictures/smells/sounds to help activate the senses

• Journaling emotions

• Finding words to depict our internal world

• Making ‘mindmaps’ of how we see ourselves and our relations with others.

• Tensing and releasing certain muscle groups to become aware of them.

• Having someone say ‘no’ in a harsh tone and then a nice ‘yes’ several times and discussing how it feels when both words are said to you.

DR SARAH ANTICICH

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USEFUL APPS AND WEBSITES

DAN SIEGEL

www.gritnnz.comadmin@gritnz.com

DR SARAH ANTICICH

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