The use of psychotherapy has decreased in the last decade; meanwhile the use of prescribed medications has been on the rise (APA, 2012). Now equipped with technologies that image the brain, the field of psychology is rising to the challenge to demonstrate that psychotherapy works.
“Research suggests that psychotherapy can produce changes in the brain that are comparable to those seen in drug treatments and that avoid the painful side effects”
-Dr. Schwartz
Not very long ago the brain was believed to be a physiologically static organ that only changed during the critical period of early childhood. Then we entered the age of the brain. Now we have technologies such as positron emission tomography (PET) and single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) scans. They allow us to see changes in patterns of neural activity. The science of neuroplasticity now has several decades of evidence demonstrating that changes in neural activity occur across the lifespan (See more here).
A simplified model of the brain reveals that there are three distinct layers of the brain with evolutionary origin:
The reptilian brain manages the body’s primal functions including breathing, heart rate, balance, and body temperature. The limbic system, largely the amygdala, hippocampus, and hypothalamus, provide emotional valance and initiate the body’s autonomic nervous system (ANS) as needed to manage stress and trauma. A more recently evolved portion of the brain is the neocortex, more specifically the prefrontal cortex which is associated with the capacity to calm our fear responses. The brain also has two hemispheres:
When looking at psychiatric disorders from the lens of the brain there are three core patterns of neural activity. High arousal patterns that are associated with overactivity in the lower brain centers and a lack of mediating actions from the prefrontal cortex (e.g. anxiety, panic disorder). Low arousal patterns which are associated with low levels of serotonin, and endocrine system deficiencies (e.g. depression). Combined arousal types involve a combination of high and low activation that have both physiological patterns of symptoms (e.g. PTSD, bipolar disorder).
Imaging studies illuminate the neural patterns that are distinctly associated with different psychiatric diagnoses. Moreover, imaging has been used to examine the effects of psychotherapy on the brain. Here are some of the findings:
Medications are necessary sometimes and it is generally recommended that they be used in conjunction with psychotherapy rather than in lieu of. However, given the amount of money and research supporting the pharmaceutical industry, the efficacy of psychotherapy can be overlooked. In the last 15 years science has taken great strides towards a better understand the relationship between psychology and the brain (review article here). As a result our knowledge of the brain and the neurobiological effects of our interventions is not only validating but demystifying psychotherapy.
To learn more:
Dr. Arielle Schwartz is a licensed clinical psychologist, wife, and mother in Boulder, CO. She offers trainings for therapists, maintains a private practice, and has passions for the outdoors, yoga, and writing. Dr. Schwartz is the author of The Complex PTSD Workbook: A Mind-Body Approach to Regaining Emotional Control and Becoming Whole. She is the developer of Resilience-Informed Therapy which applies research on trauma recovery to form a strength-based, trauma treatment model that includes Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), somatic (body-centered) psychology and time-tested relational psychotherapy. Like Dr. Arielle Schwartz on Facebook, follow her on Linkedin and sign up for email updates to stay up to date with all her posts.
Arielle Schwartz, PhD, is a psychologist, internationally sought-out teacher, yoga instructor, and leading voice in the healing of PTSD and complex trauma. She is the author of five books, including The Complex PTSD Workbook, EMDR Therapy and Somatic Psychology, and The Post Traumatic Growth Guidebook.
Dr. Schwartz is an accomplished teacher who guides therapists in the application of EMDR, somatic psychology, parts work therapy, and mindfulness-based interventions for the treatment of trauma and complex PTSD. She guides you through a personal journey of healing in her Sounds True audio program, Trauma Recovery.
She has a depth of understanding, passion, kindness, compassion, joy, and a succinct way of speaking about very complex topics. She is the founder of the Center for Resilience Informed Therapy in Boulder, Colorado where she maintains a private practice providing psychotherapy, supervision, and consultation. Dr. Schwartz believes that that the journey of trauma recovery is an awakening of the spiritual heart.
