The Science of Counseling Tour

Dr. Suzanne LaCombe, November 20, 2006.
Updated; February 28, 2007.

To an outsider, counseling theory must seem like a lot of "mumbo jumbo". MyShrink, on the other hand, is written in a way that demystifies how counseling works. We believe this is one way to inspire more people to take up counseling as a means to make changes in their lives.

Our content is based on insights derived from two distinct fields of study: neuroscience and child development. These fields have seen incredible growth in the last few years. They have simplified our understanding how change occurs in the brain and made this information more accessible and user friendly for everyone.

We hope you will find this new knowledge less stigmatizing and pathologizing. In fact, counseling could achieve a status far higher than it has enjoyed in the past.

One of the main insights to come out of this research is the distinction between the right brain and the left brain. Each side of the brain processes information in a completely different way. This knowledge has important implications for counseling, and leads to no less than a paradigm shift in the way counseling will be done in the years ahead.

Here's a preview of the Science of Counseling Tour:

It's a common belief that because the mind is so powerful we should be able to change ourselves just by thinking the right thoughts.

"Just say no!" and "Just do it!" are the ultimate expressions of this belief.

But fifty years of research in child development, refined and confirmed in the labs of neuroscience, have given therapists a new paradigm of personal change.

This paradigm does not deny the power of the intellect, the "left brain". It simply recognizes that what we are and how we behave today are a result of early childhood experiences encoded by the brain into learned patterns of behaviour. These patterns are regulated, unconsciously, by the "right brain".

In the new paradigm, personal change, especially at the deepest level, is achieved through a "re-setting" or "rewiring" of these unconscious patterns. This is most effectively accomplished through an empathetic relationship with a professional counselor.

This paradigm shift, based on body-mind research and theory, has been quietly growing for several years. With new advances in brain imaging, it's time has come. In fact, we have a hard time curbing our enthusiasm!

We believe these approaches, backed by years of neuroscience and child development research, provide the best means to make personal changes that are integrated, and that last.

Take the Science of Counseling Tour!

A good place to start is with our little mascot in 'What's with the Reptile'. It's the first article in our 'Science of Counseling Tour'. Follow the links through the site and learn why understanding of the brain will help you get the most from your personal counseling!