Psychoneurotherapy is an exciting and new mental health intervention which is helping people live anxiety and stress free, be in charge of their mood (negating depression), sleep better, free themselves from addictions, and improve their functioning to reach peak neural performance. When it comes to mental health interventions, this modality is considered “new” however it has been in use for at least 20 years already. Thousands of people have already benefited from this fantastic integration of psychological therapy with neural therapy, and we want to teach you about it!
Pathwaves’ version of Psychoneurotherapy (which we call NeuroEmpowerment™) is a treatment modality which considers the dynamics between the mind and body with respect to society and environment which ultimately greatly affect mental and physical well-being. This is a holistic therapeutic methodology that integrates the understanding of the mechanisms of our biology/neurology, the processes of our psychology, and the influences of social interaction. We humans are organisms which exist within the mind and body. The mind is the least understood part of this fact. At Pathwaves, we are mapping the mind and utilizing the mapping in our therapeutic practice.
Psychoneurotherapy aims to change the way the brain interacts with the nervous system, in fact working to positively alter the function of the entire nervous system. It does not directly target the nervous system in order to facilitate change, but instead focuses on the life experiences the person has encountered. “The brain never forgets” is a saying that refers to how our nervous system keeps track of everything that ever happens to us in order to keep us safe in the future. (The cosmic joke is living in the now, with your nervous system being anchored by the past to keep you “safe” in the future!) The brain specializes in the processing of life experiences from a “survival” mindset.
Psychoneurotherapy helps people shift their perspective to understand that their basic needs are very easy to satisfy, so they do not have to expend so much energy, thought, focus etc. on trying to survive. “The best method for improving the health of the brain, then, is to ensure basic need satisfaction.” (Grawe, 2007, p. 424)” In other words, we are helping people understand that their nervous system is built to survey their environment in order to ensure their basic needs are met or assure that their basic need can be met, when they probably already are met. In today’s society, most of these needs are easily accessible. NeuroEmpowerment™ guides our clients to make this shift in their minds and their bodies.
The definition of psychoneurotherapy may seem broad, but that is precisely the point. For many researchers and practitioners it is necessary to be armed, for example, with microscopic insight into the activity of a particular neural network involved with a client's fear, as well as a macroscopic view of their interpersonal relationships and environment. A “psychoneurotherapist” can gain a thorough understanding of a client’s situation through this procedure and then administer treatment with the knowledge that there is a dynamic and powerful influence between the mind, brain, people, and the environment. Counter to what is considered traditional or what a typical physician might prescribe to support the nervous system, Pathwaves draws from a large palate of therapeutic practices to achieve a desired outcome without being constrained to one approach.
At Pathwaves and Supermind (our affiliate), we utilize a new form of neurofeedback called neurofeedforward™ to gain valuable insight into our clients’ conditions by understanding with more clarity what’s ‘under the hood’, so to speak, in the neurology and biology of the client. With this information, we have refined the therapeutic approach. In 2023, Supermind will begin providing NeuroEmpowerment™ to all through a wearable device designed for in-home use!
Pathwaves has been providing psychoneurotherapy since 2016. This is a multidisciplinary approach which allows us to study, analyze, and structure our interventions very precisely and effectively. Another way to think of this is that we help people to shift their mental thought processes and perspectives as well their bodies to fully support a series of new mental behaviors and perspectives. Clients are also taught how to better manage their nervous systems to have optimal neural function. Yes, it is actually possible to hack into, manage, and be in control of one’s own nervous system!
A recent study found NeuroEmpowerment™ to be effective in treating multiple common mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, sleep, anger, etc. When you realize the depth and effective delivery of the integration of psychological and neural therapy, it is not a surprise that this new modality has been so effective.
For more information, please visit www.EmpoweredG.com, www.PathwavesLife.com, and/or www.Supermind.us
References
For an overview of PsychoNeurotherapy, see Grawe, K. (2007). PsychoNeurotherapy: How the Neurosciences Inform Effective Psychotherapy. New York, Psychology Press. The late Klaus Grawe defines PsychoNeurotherapy as a neuroscientifically informed psychotherapy, and we stand on this foundational understanding while enlarging the scope of considerations to a broader biopsychosocial perspective.
Submitted by G. Cole, co-founder of Pathwaves, Inc. and Supermind, Inc./Creator of NeuroEmpowerment™