Episode 13 Season 4: What Is the Connection Between Mirror Neurons and Childhood Trauma?

[00:00:03] [SPEAKER_00]: Hello, Beloveds, and welcome to Christian Emotional Recovery, a podcast for those who are survivors

[00:00:11] [SPEAKER_00]: of childhood trauma, emotional neglect, and narcissistic abuse.

[00:00:17] [SPEAKER_00]: This podcast is hosted by Rachel Leroy, a college professor and trauma survivor.

[00:00:24] [SPEAKER_00]: Many of us spend years trying to heal and don't get anywhere.

[00:00:28] [SPEAKER_00]: We don't always target the trauma itself, which is so often what keeps us stuck.

[00:00:35] [SPEAKER_00]: This podcast is where faith meets science.

[00:00:38] [SPEAKER_00]: Rachel is an emotional healing expert with 20 years of experience applying healing modalities

[00:00:45] [SPEAKER_00]: that helped her start making progress after nothing else worked.

[00:00:49] [SPEAKER_00]: She'll show you how to do the same.

[00:00:52] [SPEAKER_00]: Each week we'll cover a topic that will show you how to heal trauma for good.

[00:00:57] [SPEAKER_00]: Please check out our website and show notes at ChristianEmotionalRecovery.com

[00:01:03] [SPEAKER_00]: and join the Facebook community, Trauma Survivors Unite Christian Emotional Recovery.

[00:01:16] [SPEAKER_01]: Hello everyone and welcome to Christian Emotional Recovery and this is Episode 13

[00:01:23] [SPEAKER_01]: Season 4, Episode 13 Season 4.

[00:01:26] [SPEAKER_01]: I'm your host Rachel Leroy and the topic this time is going to be what is the connection

[00:01:32] [SPEAKER_01]: between mirror neurons and childhood trauma?

[00:01:34] [SPEAKER_01]: What is the connection between mirror neurons and childhood trauma?

[00:01:38] [SPEAKER_01]: So this one will talk about how childhood trauma becomes imprinted in the brain

[00:01:43] [SPEAKER_01]: and how it gets stuck in the body and then we'll talk about ways to release it.

[00:01:48] [SPEAKER_01]: So first we'll talk about what mirror neurons are, how those are in the brain,

[00:01:52] [SPEAKER_01]: how interactions impact those and how those impact our interactions

[00:01:57] [SPEAKER_01]: and then how that can wire us if we're in adverse circumstances

[00:02:01] [SPEAKER_01]: and how we can heal from that.

[00:02:03] [SPEAKER_01]: So that's what we'll talk about today.

[00:02:05] [SPEAKER_01]: Before we get started please remember that you can join the Facebook group

[00:02:08] [SPEAKER_01]: called Christian Emotional Recovery.

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[00:03:22] [SPEAKER_01]: Let's go ahead and jump right in and get started.

[00:03:26] [SPEAKER_01]: So this is what is the connection between Mirror Neurons and Childhood Trauma

[00:03:30] [SPEAKER_01]: and this is episode 13.

[00:03:33] [SPEAKER_01]: I've been wanting to do an episode on Mirror Neurons for a while

[00:03:37] [SPEAKER_01]: and I think sometimes I overthink how am I going to structure it?

[00:03:41] [SPEAKER_01]: What am I going to talk about?

[00:03:42] [SPEAKER_01]: And it is important that this podcast is set up in a way where it's

[00:03:46] [SPEAKER_01]: practical, it's interesting, it's applicable to you,

[00:03:49] [SPEAKER_01]: that you can apply it in some way and that you're learning more about

[00:03:54] [SPEAKER_01]: your trauma in a way that helps you to heal.

[00:03:57] [SPEAKER_01]: So you're not defined by your trauma so you can move past your trauma

[00:04:00] [SPEAKER_01]: into a more joyful life that God intended for you.

[00:04:04] [SPEAKER_01]: So today we'll talk about what Mirror Neurons are,

[00:04:07] [SPEAKER_01]: how they work in the brain and in the system, the body systems

[00:04:12] [SPEAKER_01]: and we'll talk about how all that comes together when it comes to Childhood Trauma.

[00:04:16] [SPEAKER_01]: So we'll talk a little bit as well about frequently asked questions that people

[00:04:20] [SPEAKER_01]: ask about Mirror Neurons, how are they relevant to me?

[00:04:24] [SPEAKER_01]: How do they connect to my experiences, either adverse, neutral or positive?

[00:04:29] [SPEAKER_01]: And then lastly we'll talk about not only the connection between Mirror Neurons

[00:04:33] [SPEAKER_01]: and Childhood Trauma but also using Mirror Neurons to heal inner childhood trauma.

[00:04:40] [SPEAKER_01]: And so we'll talk about and keep in mind that when we talk about Childhood Trauma

[00:04:43] [SPEAKER_01]: this can also help you heal adult trauma too.

[00:04:46] [SPEAKER_01]: If you've been in an abusive situation or experienced a traumatic event

[00:04:51] [SPEAKER_01]: or a series of traumatic events, this can also help you.

[00:04:54] [SPEAKER_01]: So keep in mind that this applies to you as well.

[00:04:56] [SPEAKER_01]: This is for everybody that's experienced any kind of trauma

[00:04:59] [SPEAKER_01]: which is pretty much everybody right?

[00:05:01] [SPEAKER_01]: It's just that some people have experienced a lot more than others

[00:05:04] [SPEAKER_01]: and that's why we're here right?

[00:05:06] [SPEAKER_01]: So Mirror Neurons will talk about a healing exercise lastly

[00:05:10] [SPEAKER_01]: for that as well.

[00:05:11] [SPEAKER_01]: So I'm using two sources and then just kind of using other information as well

[00:05:17] [SPEAKER_01]: but one of the sources is from Positive Psychology,

[00:05:20] [SPEAKER_01]: you know I always cite my sources and the other one is from the Huffington Post

[00:05:24] [SPEAKER_01]: and so I just want to jump straight into what are Mirror Neurons and how do those work?

[00:05:32] [SPEAKER_01]: So in Positive Psychology this article is called Mirror Neurons and the Neuroscience of Empathy.

[00:05:39] [SPEAKER_01]: Mirror Neurons and the Neuroscience of Empathy.

[00:05:42] [SPEAKER_01]: And in this article it gives you, this article is really good because it gives you an overview

[00:05:46] [SPEAKER_01]: of Mirror Neurons and how they're relevantly connected to your own mental health.

[00:05:51] [SPEAKER_01]: And so what it says here is it says groundbreaking research in the 1990s

[00:05:56] [SPEAKER_01]: discovered that Mirror Neurons fire whether monkeys perform an activity themselves

[00:06:01] [SPEAKER_01]: or observe others engaging in it.

[00:06:04] [SPEAKER_01]: And that's by a source called Rizalotti and Fabri Destro.

[00:06:10] [SPEAKER_01]: So there's a lot of sources within this source you can see those works cited if you want to

[00:06:14] [SPEAKER_01]: refer to those at the end of the Positive Psychology article but it says in the decades

[00:06:19] [SPEAKER_01]: since studies suggest that humans also have Mirror Neurons and they are fundamental

[00:06:23] [SPEAKER_01]: to what it means to be human.

[00:06:26] [SPEAKER_01]: Neuroscience shows that Mirror Neurons impact our ability to grasp new skills,

[00:06:30] [SPEAKER_01]: acquire knowledge and form deep emotional connections with those around us.

[00:06:34] [SPEAKER_01]: Even helping us to understand why people do what they do and that's by cook.

[00:06:39] [SPEAKER_01]: And so the article explores the nature of Mirror Neurons and how they affect our

[00:06:43] [SPEAKER_01]: learning and cognition and boost our empathy.

[00:06:46] [SPEAKER_01]: So Mirror Neurons are a strong part of what helps us with relationships and helps us build empathy.

[00:06:52] [SPEAKER_01]: So there's a lot of research that shows that people that have high empathetic traits,

[00:06:57] [SPEAKER_01]: people that have high empathy have more Mirror Neurons than the average person

[00:07:01] [SPEAKER_01]: and people that have low empathy and sometimes narcissistic traits have fewer

[00:07:07] [SPEAKER_01]: Mirror Neurons than other people, the average amount.

[00:07:11] [SPEAKER_01]: So what are Mirror Neurons in psychology?

[00:07:14] [SPEAKER_01]: And it says here Mirror Neurons facilitate our learning by enabling us to imitate

[00:07:19] [SPEAKER_01]: and understand the actions and behaviors of those we observe.

[00:07:23] [SPEAKER_01]: So it's something in our brain.

[00:07:24] [SPEAKER_01]: When we watch others engaged in a task areas of our brain are stimulated as though

[00:07:29] [SPEAKER_01]: the task is being performed by us.

[00:07:31] [SPEAKER_01]: That's actually very interesting, right?

[00:07:33] [SPEAKER_01]: So for example, Mirror Imaging Studies show that the same brain areas are activated in

[00:07:38] [SPEAKER_01]: motion perception and motion production, whether we are watching someone run down the street or

[00:07:43] [SPEAKER_01]: doing it ourselves.

[00:07:45] [SPEAKER_01]: So while these neurons fire at the same time as the behavior we observe,

[00:07:49] [SPEAKER_01]: they also activate later when we recall what has happened.

[00:07:53] [SPEAKER_01]: Now it goes on to say basically that doesn't mean that if you see somebody play a

[00:07:57] [SPEAKER_01]: stride of areas and play a complex piece, you're going to be able to pick up one and

[00:08:01] [SPEAKER_01]: automatically copy it.

[00:08:02] [SPEAKER_01]: That's obviously not true for most people and if you can, you're a you're a prodigy.

[00:08:09] [SPEAKER_01]: So imitating and comprehending is helpful in young children especially it says,

[00:08:14] [SPEAKER_01]: but it also appears to provide sufficient information to predict why someone is

[00:08:18] [SPEAKER_01]: performing the behavior they are engaged in.

[00:08:21] [SPEAKER_01]: And that's a powerful mechanism it says for emotional understanding.

[00:08:26] [SPEAKER_01]: So why are mirror neurons important?

[00:08:28] [SPEAKER_01]: The positive psychology article goes on to say,

[00:08:31] [SPEAKER_01]: mirror neurons are a vital aspect of our evolutionary inheritance as they are

[00:08:36] [SPEAKER_01]: associated with quote, one of the most intriguing aspects of our complex thought

[00:08:40] [SPEAKER_01]: processes.

[00:08:41] [SPEAKER_01]: That is intentional understanding end quote.

[00:08:44] [SPEAKER_01]: So when we observe an action performed by another, it says we typically receive

[00:08:49] [SPEAKER_01]: two vital pieces of information.

[00:08:51] [SPEAKER_01]: What action is being taken and why is the action being done?

[00:08:55] [SPEAKER_01]: The second piece is more complex identifying intention.

[00:08:59] [SPEAKER_01]: Our mirror neurons engage to predict what is yet to occur boosting our opportunity

[00:09:05] [SPEAKER_01]: to learn and empathize.

[00:09:07] [SPEAKER_01]: So that's part of how they work but it goes on and asks,

[00:09:11] [SPEAKER_01]: how does the mirror neuron system work in positive psychology?

[00:09:15] [SPEAKER_01]: It says, and this is a quote within a quote,

[00:09:17] [SPEAKER_01]: mirror neurons represent a distinct class of neurons that discharge both when

[00:09:22] [SPEAKER_01]: an individual executes a motor act or when he observes another individual

[00:09:26] [SPEAKER_01]: performing the same or similar motor act.

[00:09:29] [SPEAKER_01]: So it's been found in multiple brain areas it says and it tells you where all

[00:09:34] [SPEAKER_01]: these different places in the brain, it's engaged helps you engage in some of

[00:09:37] [SPEAKER_01]: the following.

[00:09:39] [SPEAKER_01]: Initiating planning and coordinating movement and storing motor programs for

[00:09:43] [SPEAKER_01]: learned actions.

[00:09:44] [SPEAKER_01]: Processing sensory information related to touch pressure and

[00:09:49] [SPEAKER_01]: proprioception or awareness of body motion position from different parts of the

[00:09:54] [SPEAKER_01]: body.

[00:09:55] [SPEAKER_01]: Sensory motor integration spatial awareness and perception of objects in relation

[00:09:59] [SPEAKER_01]: to oneself and processing emotions and regulating emotional responses.

[00:10:04] [SPEAKER_01]: So context it says is essential.

[00:10:06] [SPEAKER_01]: Mirror neurons are more likely to fire when the observer can connect with

[00:10:11] [SPEAKER_01]: and understand the person's goals and intentions.

[00:10:14] [SPEAKER_01]: That's interesting right because that means that that's where

[00:10:17] [SPEAKER_01]: agreement and understanding and even empathy come in right?

[00:10:22] [SPEAKER_01]: And then lastly it talks about the neuroscience of empathy and mirror neurons

[00:10:27] [SPEAKER_01]: and since that's a good connector there it says neuroscientists believe that

[00:10:32] [SPEAKER_01]: the areas of the brain typically activated by our own emotions are also active

[00:10:37] [SPEAKER_01]: when we observe another individual experiencing feelings or sensations.

[00:10:41] [SPEAKER_01]: Evidence suggests that mirror neurons are strongly associated with human

[00:10:44] [SPEAKER_01]: empathy and that's important after all empathy enables us to put ourselves in

[00:10:49] [SPEAKER_01]: another's place.

[00:10:51] [SPEAKER_01]: And so that's how we understand thoughts, sensations, emotions of others by

[00:10:56] [SPEAKER_01]: simulating them in ourselves as if we are experiencing similar mental states

[00:11:01] [SPEAKER_01]: emotions and sensations.

[00:11:03] [SPEAKER_01]: So it goes on talks about that in a little more detail but you get the

[00:11:07] [SPEAKER_01]: idea a mirror neuron is literally you're mirroring what the other person

[00:11:10] [SPEAKER_01]: is experiencing whether that's just a logical thing whether you're learning

[00:11:14] [SPEAKER_01]: whether you're observing or whether you're feeling with empathy what that

[00:11:18] [SPEAKER_01]: person is going through and it even gives talks a lot about mirror neurons

[00:11:22] [SPEAKER_01]: and autism and how people who are on the spectrum there it's not proven

[00:11:28] [SPEAKER_01]: irrefutably but that there might be some issues with mirror neurons and

[00:11:32] [SPEAKER_01]: mirroring what other people do and feel and think and say and how they

[00:11:38] [SPEAKER_01]: respond to things that's not to say that that's an absolute or that that's

[00:11:42] [SPEAKER_01]: absolutely proven but there is a theory there.

[00:11:45] [SPEAKER_01]: And so then it talks about trauma and mirror neurons and I'll get into that

[00:11:49] [SPEAKER_01]: more later but I wanted to go to the bottom of the article because it talks

[00:11:54] [SPEAKER_01]: a lot about how mirror neurons there's some frequently asked questions here.

[00:12:00] [SPEAKER_01]: One of them is how do mirror neurons affect emotions and it says

[00:12:03] [SPEAKER_01]: mirror neurons help us emotionally share the experiences of others

[00:12:07] [SPEAKER_01]: by enabling us to perceive and understand their feelings

[00:12:10] [SPEAKER_01]: without words so that is literally empathy right it's empathy being able to

[00:12:16] [SPEAKER_01]: feel with someone or feel what they're feeling with them.

[00:12:19] [SPEAKER_01]: The next one how do mirror neurons work?

[00:12:21] [SPEAKER_01]: Mirror neurons function by allowing us to simulate and understand

[00:12:25] [SPEAKER_01]: others actions emotions and intentions through shared neural structures and

[00:12:30] [SPEAKER_01]: activations. Next question do mirror neurons

[00:12:34] [SPEAKER_01]: explain empathy? Mirror neurons contribute to empathy by helping us

[00:12:38] [SPEAKER_01]: resonate with another's emotions and experiences they combine with other

[00:12:42] [SPEAKER_01]: biological systems so it's not just mirror neurons there are

[00:12:46] [SPEAKER_01]: other systems involved such as the hormone oxytocin which can

[00:12:50] [SPEAKER_01]: regulate or even enhance empathic processes. And mirror neurons respond

[00:12:54] [SPEAKER_01]: to music so this is interesting because it gives you an example of how

[00:12:57] [SPEAKER_01]: they work it says some researchers believe that

[00:13:00] [SPEAKER_01]: mirror neurons contribute to our enjoyment and participation in music

[00:13:03] [SPEAKER_01]: hijacking the simulation mechanism of the brain so to speak

[00:13:07] [SPEAKER_01]: and doing so we experience a more physical or embodied experience of the

[00:13:11] [SPEAKER_01]: musical piece. So people that can feel things deeply are more likely to

[00:13:15] [SPEAKER_01]: have more mirror neurons I would argue. What makes

[00:13:19] [SPEAKER_01]: yawning contagious? You've been in a room maybe you're

[00:13:21] [SPEAKER_01]: taking a test or teachers talking and everybody's bored

[00:13:25] [SPEAKER_01]: and somebody yawning and then the person next to you yawning

[00:13:28] [SPEAKER_01]: and then the next person yawning and maybe you really you're conscious of it

[00:13:31] [SPEAKER_01]: suddenly and maybe you yawning and then everybody's laughing.

[00:13:35] [SPEAKER_01]: Well that is laughing is contagious too right have you ever been in a situation

[00:13:38] [SPEAKER_01]: where you should not be laughing an example I'll give is I've been

[00:13:43] [SPEAKER_01]: laughing with a friend in church before forgive me but I have

[00:13:46] [SPEAKER_01]: and we got so tickled we could not stop and I've actually had to get up and

[00:13:50] [SPEAKER_01]: walk out so I didn't disrupt you know that was when we were

[00:13:53] [SPEAKER_01]: teenagers and we were being silly but it's it is contagious

[00:13:57] [SPEAKER_01]: right it says yawning is an example of what

[00:13:59] [SPEAKER_01]: psychology is called emotional contagion it reflects our brain's

[00:14:03] [SPEAKER_01]: inclination to synchronize with others through

[00:14:07] [SPEAKER_01]: our mirror neurons potentially boosting group cohesion and social bonding

[00:14:11] [SPEAKER_01]: so that's a little bit more about the basics of mirror neurons

[00:14:15] [SPEAKER_01]: and I wanted to jump right into the connection between childhood trauma

[00:14:19] [SPEAKER_01]: and mirror neurons. So there's a lot of research here and this is not for

[00:14:23] [SPEAKER_01]: many of the sources I'm using but there's a lot of research about

[00:14:26] [SPEAKER_01]: facial expressions and mirroring between a caretaker or a parent and a child

[00:14:31] [SPEAKER_01]: and when a child gets a mirrored reflection of their experience from their

[00:14:36] [SPEAKER_01]: caretakers that helps them to develop a bond it helps

[00:14:40] [SPEAKER_01]: them to develop their brains properly and helps them to develop a sense of

[00:14:43] [SPEAKER_01]: safety so that they're able to build good connections with people later on

[00:14:48] [SPEAKER_01]: people that struggle in relationships may not have gotten there

[00:14:51] [SPEAKER_01]: I know sucks it's not fair right but that's how mirror neurons work and

[00:14:55] [SPEAKER_01]: that's one way that childhood trauma can start

[00:14:59] [SPEAKER_01]: the psychology article the author I forgot to say was Jeremy Sutton PhD

[00:15:04] [SPEAKER_01]: Jeremy Sutton PhD and in this other article Huffington Post

[00:15:08] [SPEAKER_01]: it's relationship trauma how does emotional pain from childhood get lived

[00:15:13] [SPEAKER_01]: out in adulthood and it says mirror neurons offer a

[00:15:17] [SPEAKER_01]: neural mechanism that explains emotional contagion

[00:15:20] [SPEAKER_01]: or the tendency of one person to catch the feelings of another

[00:15:24] [SPEAKER_01]: particularly if strongly expressed so in the case of childhood trauma if you're

[00:15:30] [SPEAKER_01]: around somebody who's maladapted whether it's a choice that they've made or

[00:15:34] [SPEAKER_01]: something that's not their fault whether unaware of it or they're

[00:15:37] [SPEAKER_01]: struggling and they're doing the best they can and they're just not

[00:15:39] [SPEAKER_01]: able to function properly that can rub off on a child

[00:15:43] [SPEAKER_01]: obviously you take on the characteristics of the people you're

[00:15:46] [SPEAKER_01]: around and when you're a child there's nowhere to go there's no

[00:15:49] [SPEAKER_01]: boundaries to sit there's no way to protect yourself because you don't

[00:15:52] [SPEAKER_01]: know you need to and you can't how are you going to you don't know that you

[00:15:56] [SPEAKER_01]: need to and then even if you did you don't really have a lot of agency to

[00:16:00] [SPEAKER_01]: be able to do that it talks about in the Huffington Post

[00:16:04] [SPEAKER_01]: article this article is by Dr. Tien Dayton

[00:16:07] [SPEAKER_01]: Dr. Tien Dayton and it says we are constantly

[00:16:12] [SPEAKER_01]: anticipating and tracking each other through the discovery mirror neurons

[00:16:16] [SPEAKER_01]: we are able to understand why and how this occurs from a biological point

[00:16:20] [SPEAKER_01]: of view it goes on and talks more and more about the

[00:16:23] [SPEAKER_01]: connection of mirror neurons how they work and then it goes on to talk about

[00:16:27] [SPEAKER_01]: when an environment is chaotic it says when an environment is chaotic or fear

[00:16:31] [SPEAKER_01]: inducing we may find it a hard time separating

[00:16:34] [SPEAKER_01]: ourselves emotionally from what is going on around us

[00:16:38] [SPEAKER_01]: we become part of the chaos internally so to speak

[00:16:41] [SPEAKER_01]: if the emotional climate is overwhelming we may have trouble

[00:16:44] [SPEAKER_01]: staying in our bodies we get overwhelmed with intense emotion

[00:16:48] [SPEAKER_01]: when we cannot remove ourselves from what is frightening us

[00:16:51] [SPEAKER_01]: nor fight it off we may have to rely on more primitive forms of self-protection

[00:16:56] [SPEAKER_01]: so this is where we start getting into how does trauma get stuck in the body

[00:17:01] [SPEAKER_01]: especially childhood trauma and it says our animal brain takes over so to speak

[00:17:06] [SPEAKER_01]: if we cannot act on our own behalf and keep ourselves safe by running away

[00:17:10] [SPEAKER_01]: or fighting back which is often the case with children

[00:17:13] [SPEAKER_01]: we may freeze in place as a form of self-protection why do we freeze

[00:17:18] [SPEAKER_01]: we freeze because we're scared because something is overwhelming us

[00:17:22] [SPEAKER_01]: and what happens when we freeze when we freeze we don't process what's going on

[00:17:26] [SPEAKER_01]: the way we normally do we experience an altered state of consciousness

[00:17:30] [SPEAKER_01]: during which our normal sense of situation of a situation can become altered

[00:17:35] [SPEAKER_01]: and time may even become slowed down or feel fragmented

[00:17:38] [SPEAKER_01]: our senses go on high alert while a thinking part of our brain shuts down

[00:17:43] [SPEAKER_01]: so basically it talks about how before humans in their early phases were more

[00:17:50] [SPEAKER_01]: emotional beings and not as much thinking beings and then as we evolve the cortex

[00:17:55] [SPEAKER_01]: which is where thinking occurs developed more and so those two systems

[00:18:00] [SPEAKER_01]: the lizard brain or the emotions and the fear

[00:18:02] [SPEAKER_01]: and the higher brain functions of cognition are separate and yet they work together

[00:18:09] [SPEAKER_01]: and we need both of those to survive into function we need both of them

[00:18:13] [SPEAKER_01]: but they developed independently and that explains why sometimes we can freeze

[00:18:18] [SPEAKER_01]: and we are thrown out of our consciousness we disassociate

[00:18:22] [SPEAKER_01]: because it gets stored as a frozen sense memory the trauma read body memory

[00:18:28] [SPEAKER_01]: it becomes a body memory with little reason or understanding attached to it

[00:18:34] [SPEAKER_01]: these painful memories may not get processed understood or placed into

[00:18:37] [SPEAKER_01]: the overall context of our lives they may become banished from consciousness

[00:18:42] [SPEAKER_01]: by one of the psychological defenses of disassociation or numbing

[00:18:46] [SPEAKER_01]: they may get forgotten one of the problems with this way of processing is that we forget

[00:18:51] [SPEAKER_01]: we forgot them that we have forgotten them so that's how trauma gets stuck in the body

[00:18:57] [SPEAKER_01]: and that's how when something similar happens later on we'll have a visceral reaction to it

[00:19:02] [SPEAKER_01]: and even though that situation is happening in the current moment it actually

[00:19:09] [SPEAKER_01]: simulates that experience those are our mirror neurons because it doesn't know that this isn't

[00:19:14] [SPEAKER_01]: something that's actually happening now it's something similar that triggered it so it brings

[00:19:18] [SPEAKER_01]: up that past experience because that's what it's associating with it so it says our own

[00:19:24] [SPEAKER_01]: reactivity over the present goes unrecognized that is the person being triggered doesn't

[00:19:29] [SPEAKER_01]: connect today's trigger with events from the past they may get anxious angry go into a panic

[00:19:35] [SPEAKER_01]: state or even panic attack without any recognition of what from the past is getting triggered in the

[00:19:40] [SPEAKER_01]: present so we've probably most of us have experienced that right and then it says this is because key

[00:19:46] [SPEAKER_01]: fragments of the original traumatic event have become inaccessible to in ordinary remembering

[00:19:52] [SPEAKER_01]: experience needs to be processed so that we can let it go if a person goes into the

[00:19:58] [SPEAKER_01]: instinctual trauma response the likelihood of developing PTSD symptoms is great often PTSD

[00:20:05] [SPEAKER_01]: takes some months or even years to become full-blown which is why there is a such thing as PTSD

[00:20:11] [SPEAKER_01]: the PTSD reaction years after the stress is quote over our body mind is still holding onto it it

[00:20:17] [SPEAKER_01]: occurred if it occurred in the context of intimate relationships intimate relationships may act as a

[00:20:22] [SPEAKER_01]: trigger that causes unresolved fear pain and resentment to reemerge and that's partly the

[00:20:27] [SPEAKER_01]: mirror neurons but in the same way this is my idea mirror neurons are what allows to make positive

[00:20:32] [SPEAKER_01]: connections with people too and that's what's really important to remember to experience joy

[00:20:36] [SPEAKER_01]: to get those goosebumps when we listen to a beautiful piece of music for example

[00:20:40] [SPEAKER_01]: but it says the same way that a soldier may overreact to a car backfiring hearing it as if

[00:20:46] [SPEAKER_01]: it is a gunshot an adult who has been hurt as a child in parental relationships may overreact

[00:20:52] [SPEAKER_01]: to the stress of emotional intimacy when they become an adult and re-experience the feelings of

[00:20:57] [SPEAKER_01]: vulnerability and dependence that are a part of close connection and so that is how trauma

[00:21:04] [SPEAKER_01]: becomes stuck in the body and how that connects to mirror neurons so we've talked about what

[00:21:10] [SPEAKER_01]: mirror neurons are how they function in the brain in the body and with connection and imitation

[00:21:15] [SPEAKER_01]: and mirroring in general and also relationships and we've also talked about how childhood trauma

[00:21:22] [SPEAKER_01]: how mirror neurons are connected to childhood trauma so let's talk a little bit more about that

[00:21:27] [SPEAKER_01]: and then we're going to talk about some things that you can do to help yourself heal

[00:21:30] [SPEAKER_01]: using your mirror neurons in a positive way so that you can use your mirror neurons to heal

[00:21:36] [SPEAKER_01]: you from childhood trauma or any form of body based trauma and all trauma is based in the

[00:21:42] [SPEAKER_01]: body right so thank you for following along in the first part of this because i was reading

[00:21:47] [SPEAKER_01]: off of sources a lot as you know some podcasts i use more sources than others and for others i use

[00:21:54] [SPEAKER_01]: fewer and for this one i'm really using a lot of sources because this is a very science-based

[00:21:59] [SPEAKER_01]: topic but i want you to see how all this comes together and how it connects to you

[00:22:03] [SPEAKER_01]: because understanding how your body works when it comes to trauma when it comes to

[00:22:08] [SPEAKER_01]: relationships when it comes to your brain and when it comes to mirror neurons and how trauma

[00:22:12] [SPEAKER_01]: can get stuck in the body i think that's vital to ensuring that you know how to

[00:22:18] [SPEAKER_01]: handle your trauma when it comes up in your body because the more you understand

[00:22:22] [SPEAKER_01]: knowledge is power right the more you understand about this stuff the more you're able to have

[00:22:29] [SPEAKER_01]: strategies that can help you to heal you might hear my cat in the background she

[00:22:35] [SPEAKER_01]: rattles a lot in my videos and in my audios so let's talk about the connection a little bit

[00:22:41] [SPEAKER_01]: more between mirror neurons and childhood trauma connection between mirror neurons and childhood

[00:22:45] [SPEAKER_01]: trauma empathy and understanding is part of that and mirror neurons are crucial for empathy

[00:22:51] [SPEAKER_01]: allowing us to understand and feel the emotions of others by simulating their experiences

[00:22:56] [SPEAKER_01]: so like i'd said it's literally simulation it's mirroring that's what it is mirroring

[00:23:02] [SPEAKER_01]: simulation are similar so in the context of childhood trauma the development of mirror neurons

[00:23:07] [SPEAKER_01]: can be affected when it's healthy in a child right you got that reflection that validation that

[00:23:15] [SPEAKER_01]: understanding and when a parent or a caretaker is modeling healthy emotional behavior that child

[00:23:22] [SPEAKER_01]: is going to imitate that take on those habits and then take them into life and learn how to

[00:23:29] [SPEAKER_01]: cope with life in a healthy way just like the adults around them did right that's from mirror

[00:23:33] [SPEAKER_01]: neurons so when you have somebody who is maladapted for whatever reason whether it's an addiction

[00:23:40] [SPEAKER_01]: an emotional issue that's unresolved it's emotional abuse emotional neglect

[00:23:47] [SPEAKER_01]: narcissistic abuse just anything it's sometimes the parent is just not a good person and doesn't

[00:23:53] [SPEAKER_01]: care and other times they may be struggling and doing the best they can and or they just don't

[00:23:58] [SPEAKER_01]: have the knowledge and the education and the skills to be able to mirror for the child what they need

[00:24:05] [SPEAKER_01]: right and so it says trauma can disrupt normal neurodevelopment neurodevelopment potentially

[00:24:12] [SPEAKER_01]: impairing the ability to empathize and form healthy social bonds and so learning and behavior

[00:24:17] [SPEAKER_01]: is another part of mirror neurons in childhood trauma and like i was saying children learn behaviors

[00:24:23] [SPEAKER_01]: and emotional responses through imitation by those around them if you were around healthy people

[00:24:29] [SPEAKER_01]: you're going to learn healthy habits and connections if you were around unhealthy people

[00:24:35] [SPEAKER_01]: you're going to learn unhealthy habits and probably disconnections or toxic connections

[00:24:41] [SPEAKER_01]: or if you are around a mixture you'll probably have a mixture and most people have a mixture i

[00:24:46] [SPEAKER_01]: would say but if a child grows up in a traumatic environment they may mirror unhealthy behaviors

[00:24:52] [SPEAKER_01]: and emotional responses this can lead to difficulties in emotional regulation and social interactions

[00:24:59] [SPEAKER_01]: later in life if you are around somebody that flew off the handle every time something went wrong

[00:25:04] [SPEAKER_01]: you're not going to have that emotional regulation either because it wasn't modeled for you it's

[00:25:09] [SPEAKER_01]: something you're going to have to recondition and reprogram yourself to do you're going to

[00:25:14] [SPEAKER_01]: program that trauma out of your body through the healing process so that you're able to

[00:25:19] [SPEAKER_01]: regulate your emotions it's that's where re-parenting yourself comes in so interpersonal

[00:25:24] [SPEAKER_01]: relationships is the third one there was empathy and understanding learning and behavior and then

[00:25:30] [SPEAKER_01]: interpersonal relationships and mirror neurons facilitate social connection and bonding trauma

[00:25:37] [SPEAKER_01]: particularly in early childhood can disrupt these processes leading to attachment issues

[00:25:42] [SPEAKER_01]: and challenges in forming secure healthy relationships and i actually have another

[00:25:47] [SPEAKER_01]: talk i can't remember if it's a podcast episode or a youtube video but it's actually about

[00:25:53] [SPEAKER_01]: attachment styles and so this mirror neuron interpersonal relationship connection is where

[00:25:59] [SPEAKER_01]: attachment styles and attachment issues can come in whether they're healthy or they're unhealthy

[00:26:04] [SPEAKER_01]: and so when a child is grows up in this environment having relationship issues later on

[00:26:09] [SPEAKER_01]: is not their fault but it's something that that person has to take ownership of to be able

[00:26:14] [SPEAKER_01]: to heal it's not fair but that is the reality so using mirror neurons to heal the inner child

[00:26:22] [SPEAKER_01]: using mirror neurons to heal the inner child so what are some things that you can do to heal

[00:26:28] [SPEAKER_01]: from childhood trauma and keep in mind that this could be any kind of trauma and then when

[00:26:33] [SPEAKER_01]: you're healing the inner child it could be things that happen to you when you were younger or

[00:26:36] [SPEAKER_01]: things that happen to you now so it's those inner parts of us that are disconnected

[00:26:42] [SPEAKER_01]: disassociated distorted hurting afraid any kind of thing like that if we're talking about doing

[00:26:49] [SPEAKER_01]: healing work i think you could use that umbrella term of inner child over all of that even though

[00:26:54] [SPEAKER_01]: technically some of it may not have happened in your childhood so some things that you can do to

[00:26:58] [SPEAKER_01]: use mirror neurons to heal your inner child one of them there's six one is therapeutic

[00:27:03] [SPEAKER_01]: relationships another one is mindfulness and self-compassion another one is positive role

[00:27:10] [SPEAKER_01]: models group therapy and support groups is another one another is art and expressive therapies and number

[00:27:18] [SPEAKER_01]: six is re-enacting positive experiences and i'm going to give you an exercise where you actually do

[00:27:25] [SPEAKER_01]: sort of connect with yourself invalidate yourself and use that exercise as a way to heal your

[00:27:32] [SPEAKER_01]: mirror neurons and to heal your inner child but let's go through these six types of ways to

[00:27:38] [SPEAKER_01]: heal your inner child first in therapeutic relationships establishing a trusting and

[00:27:43] [SPEAKER_01]: empathetic relationship with a therapist can activate mirror neurons in a positive way so

[00:27:48] [SPEAKER_01]: developing in a healthy way with boundaries or relationship with a therapist that's empathetic

[00:27:52] [SPEAKER_01]: and having their responses to validate you can help you feel understood and supported

[00:27:58] [SPEAKER_01]: which can foster healing i cannot emphasize enough finding a compassionate therapist who

[00:28:03] [SPEAKER_01]: is trauma informed if you can find that stick with them if it's all possible stick with them

[00:28:10] [SPEAKER_01]: number two mindfulness and self-compassion mindfulness and self-compassion are practices

[00:28:15] [SPEAKER_01]: that encourage mindfulness and self-compassion that can help rewire the brain so some of that could be

[00:28:22] [SPEAKER_01]: a journal it could be a meditation it could be a mindful prayer it could be a

[00:28:28] [SPEAKER_01]: positive affirmations so there's a lot of ways that you can practice mindfulness and self-compassion

[00:28:33] [SPEAKER_01]: and so just google mindfulness and self-compassion exercises and you will get tons and tons of

[00:28:39] [SPEAKER_01]: stuff but the exercise that i'm going to share with you at the end also is a form of that i would argue

[00:28:45] [SPEAKER_01]: but it does say when individuals practice self-compassion they activate mirror neurons

[00:28:50] [SPEAKER_01]: in a way that promotes self-understanding and emotional regulation so you don't need another

[00:28:56] [SPEAKER_01]: person to have those mirror neurons you can pray and they'll come out god will bring them out or you

[00:29:01] [SPEAKER_01]: can show yourself self-compassion and that also brings out the mirror neurons so it doesn't necessarily

[00:29:07] [SPEAKER_01]: require another person even though at some point we all need that interpersonal connection to

[00:29:13] [SPEAKER_01]: some people think it's not necessary i disagree i think we need positive role models support

[00:29:19] [SPEAKER_01]: systems friends and or family personal human connections and also another one i would argue

[00:29:26] [SPEAKER_01]: that will bring out our mirror neurons and help us heal is animals animals are again not a substitute

[00:29:31] [SPEAKER_01]: for human relationships or our relationship with god but sometimes those are some of the most healing

[00:29:37] [SPEAKER_01]: relationships we have my cat people will laugh at me when i say this i don't care she's my best

[00:29:42] [SPEAKER_01]: friend she's here with me every day and she's a spoiled brat but i love her i love her to death

[00:29:48] [SPEAKER_01]: and she's my baby and you know um i you know she's she's there for me and that helps

[00:29:55] [SPEAKER_01]: heal me and helps me to feel engaged and helps me to feel grounded so another one number three

[00:30:03] [SPEAKER_01]: is positive role models engaging with positive role models whether through personal relationships

[00:30:08] [SPEAKER_01]: literature or media can help individuals mirror healthy behaviors and emotional responses

[00:30:14] [SPEAKER_01]: this can be especially helpful in reprogramming net negative patterns learned and childhood

[00:30:19] [SPEAKER_01]: so even courses and books and videos and stuff like that can actually be helpful in this way

[00:30:25] [SPEAKER_01]: because you're still building those connections but you can also engage with personal role models in

[00:30:31] [SPEAKER_01]: a interpersonal setting as well number four group therapy and support groups participating in

[00:30:37] [SPEAKER_01]: group therapy and support groups provides opportunities for individuals to observe and

[00:30:42] [SPEAKER_01]: mirror positive interactions and coping strategies so when you see those mirrored when you see those

[00:30:47] [SPEAKER_01]: modeled even if you're not a child anymore you're going to pick up on that and the more you surround

[00:30:52] [SPEAKER_01]: yourself with positive role models and people that are supportive and people that model the kind

[00:30:57] [SPEAKER_01]: of behavior emotionally that you want to exhibit the more you'll absorb that you can

[00:31:03] [SPEAKER_01]: even do that like i said by watching healthy television shows where people have healthy

[00:31:08] [SPEAKER_01]: interactions no short they're in short supply but they do exist and then also by watching videos of

[00:31:14] [SPEAKER_01]: how to cope and just support groups are a good way because you're interacting with other people who

[00:31:19] [SPEAKER_01]: are on the same path as you so you don't feel alone and then you can make that connection

[00:31:23] [SPEAKER_01]: with the mirror neurons where it validates your experience right one christian support group is

[00:31:30] [SPEAKER_01]: celebrating recovery which is for people in emotional and addiction recovery and that's a

[00:31:36] [SPEAKER_01]: really good group because it's a christian based group number five art and expressive therapies

[00:31:42] [SPEAKER_01]: engaging in creativity such as art music or dance therapy can activate mirror neurons

[00:31:47] [SPEAKER_01]: in ways that promote emotional expression and healing these therapies can help individuals process

[00:31:54] [SPEAKER_01]: trauma and reconnect with their inner child so that's a good one too i actually will sit down

[00:32:00] [SPEAKER_01]: a couple of nights a week for an hour or two in color i like these really complex prisms and

[00:32:06] [SPEAKER_01]: mandalas and geometric patterns and i'll try to color them in these different combinations

[00:32:12] [SPEAKER_01]: and i don't know why but i just find it soothing and it really helps me i love the colors and

[00:32:18] [SPEAKER_01]: being able to choose the colors and fill in the shapes and see it come to life number six

[00:32:23] [SPEAKER_01]: re-enacting positive experiences through guided imagery and role playing exercises and i would

[00:32:29] [SPEAKER_01]: argue meditation individuals can re-enact positive experiences or scenarios that they miss daring

[00:32:36] [SPEAKER_01]: childhood this can help create new positive neural pathways that's where you're literally

[00:32:41] [SPEAKER_01]: rewiring your brain you're making new neural connections with your mirror neurons and one

[00:32:46] [SPEAKER_01]: thing that shows that people are growing and learning and healing is that you're pruning

[00:32:51] [SPEAKER_01]: your neural pathways in places where it's not healthy and you're making new neural connections

[00:32:57] [SPEAKER_01]: in places where it is healthy so by leveraging the power of mirror neurons individuals can work

[00:33:03] [SPEAKER_01]: towards healing the emotional wounds of childhood trauma engaging in empathetic relationships

[00:33:09] [SPEAKER_01]: practicing mindfulness and self-compassion and surrounding oneself with positive influences

[00:33:14] [SPEAKER_01]: are key in this healing process so those are some strategies you can use to help you to use

[00:33:22] [SPEAKER_01]: mirror neurons to heal the inner child if one of those stands out to you you might google it

[00:33:27] [SPEAKER_01]: and you might find some specific sources some specific practices and some specific ways

[00:33:33] [SPEAKER_01]: that you can explore read about learn about and practice that more and then try something

[00:33:39] [SPEAKER_01]: and if it doesn't work try something else this is about experimentation you're not gonna

[00:33:44] [SPEAKER_01]: everything you try is not going to work so don't give up try something else because

[00:33:49] [SPEAKER_01]: something will click with you and what worked for you before it may not work later on

[00:33:53] [SPEAKER_01]: and what didn't work later on may work later on so you just never know keep trying new

[00:33:58] [SPEAKER_01]: things that's part of what keeps your brain active and young and healing is keeping it

[00:34:04] [SPEAKER_01]: sort of on its toes and a little bit out of its comfort zone now i know we all need a place

[00:34:09] [SPEAKER_01]: of safety and a safe place to land emotionally and physically that's not what i'm talking about

[00:34:13] [SPEAKER_01]: here but i'm talking about gently challenging yourself a little bit each day to try something new

[00:34:18] [SPEAKER_01]: okay so the last part of this talk thank you for following along with me is a mirror neuron

[00:34:25] [SPEAKER_01]: exercise a healing exercise for the inner child so this is called mirror neuron healing

[00:34:31] [SPEAKER_01]: exercise for the inner child and the objective is to use the power of mirror neurons to foster

[00:34:37] [SPEAKER_01]: self-empathy heal emotional wounds and nurture your inner child through visualization and compassionate

[00:34:44] [SPEAKER_01]: self-talk so you're going to use the power of mirror neurons to foster empathy heal emotional

[00:34:49] [SPEAKER_01]: wounds and nurture your inner child through visualization and compassionate self-talk what

[00:34:55] [SPEAKER_01]: you'll need if you do this so you might try doing this as a meditation maybe play some quiet

[00:35:01] [SPEAKER_01]: music or nature sounds in the background or something like that you might find a quiet

[00:35:07] [SPEAKER_01]: comfortable space now this one says use a mirror i've tried mirror work and it hasn't worked for me

[00:35:14] [SPEAKER_01]: but for a lot of people it's been a very powerful exercise so you might do a mirror or you might

[00:35:20] [SPEAKER_01]: just lay down and put this in your mind and do this as a meditation so if you feel more

[00:35:25] [SPEAKER_01]: comfortable instead of using a mirror making this a meditation a guided meditation then try that instead

[00:35:32] [SPEAKER_01]: be flexible try but do what works for you if a mirror works better do the mirror okay so a

[00:35:38] [SPEAKER_01]: journal or a notebook and a pen so you need a quiet comfortable space a mirror or a meditation spot

[00:35:43] [SPEAKER_01]: maybe with some music a journal or a notebook and a pen exercise steps first create a safe

[00:35:50] [SPEAKER_01]: quiet environment find a quiet comfortable space where you won't be disturbed sit in front of a

[00:35:56] [SPEAKER_01]: mirror so you can see your reflection clearly or stand in front of a mirror you can also lie down

[00:36:02] [SPEAKER_01]: or sit down play some soft music close your eyes take deep breaths and do a meditation

[00:36:08] [SPEAKER_01]: once you are in a quiet space relax and ground yourself take a few deep breaths to

[00:36:15] [SPEAKER_01]: center yourself now i have some guided meditations i'm not going to do an actual meditation

[00:36:20] [SPEAKER_01]: in this podcast but i'm making some new meditations and there are some in the youtube channel

[00:36:25] [SPEAKER_01]: about the acorn technique which is processing difficult emotions but when you relax and

[00:36:31] [SPEAKER_01]: ground yourself you you loosen your muscles you don't force it you allow it to happen it's more

[00:36:36] [SPEAKER_01]: passive it's what you allow to happen you take deep slow natural breaths to center yourself

[00:36:42] [SPEAKER_01]: and you close your eyes for a moment and focus on your breathing and just let your muscles

[00:36:47] [SPEAKER_01]: relax and loosen up and inhale deeply through your nose hold for a few seconds

[00:36:54] [SPEAKER_01]: and then exhale slowly through your mouth and you'll repeat that until you feel calm and present

[00:36:59] [SPEAKER_01]: i'm sure everybody has laid down and taken slow deep breaths to calm down before so just

[00:37:04] [SPEAKER_01]: put yourself in that place and if it helps use your mirror neurons from previous experience

[00:37:09] [SPEAKER_01]: and allow that to bring that calm back in now once you're relaxed visualize your inner

[00:37:15] [SPEAKER_01]: child with your eyes still closed visualize yourself as a child picture a specific age when

[00:37:22] [SPEAKER_01]: you felt vulnerable or experienced trauma you might even connect to a specific traumatic

[00:37:28] [SPEAKER_01]: memory now keep in mind it needs to be something you feel safe enough to to work with on your own

[00:37:33] [SPEAKER_01]: if it's overwhelming back off you don't have to continue this you can stop it at any time

[00:37:38] [SPEAKER_01]: okay so see yourself as that child noticing the emotions and expressions on your young face

[00:37:45] [SPEAKER_01]: see yourself noticing your expressions your emotions your face what does it feel like

[00:37:50] [SPEAKER_01]: what does it look like now if you're meditating go deeper into that experience picturing yourself

[00:37:57] [SPEAKER_01]: at that age what it felt like to be vulnerable and experienced the trauma now don't immerse yourself

[00:38:04] [SPEAKER_01]: in it just observe it and feel it a little bit if you're doing the mirror exercise you'll

[00:38:10] [SPEAKER_01]: gently open your eyes and look into the mirror and imagine that reflection you see is the inner child

[00:38:16] [SPEAKER_01]: you just visualized now if you're doing the meditation you'll see that inner child is you

[00:38:22] [SPEAKER_01]: so you'll make that connection to the inner child so that you can mentor and support him or her

[00:38:28] [SPEAKER_01]: okay so the third step is open your eyes and or connect with your inner child number five

[00:38:35] [SPEAKER_01]: engage with your inner child so whether your eyes are open or closed you can speak to your

[00:38:40] [SPEAKER_01]: inner child with kindness and compassion is it repeat some of these a few times repeat some of

[00:38:46] [SPEAKER_01]: these a few times and say things like I see you and I understand your pain you are safe now

[00:38:52] [SPEAKER_01]: I am here for you and I love you just as you are and if it helps you to feel better if it

[00:38:59] [SPEAKER_01]: helps you to make more of a connection if you feel more comfortable with this you might even

[00:39:03] [SPEAKER_01]: picture god telling you these things because all of these connections are biblical we talk about

[00:39:08] [SPEAKER_01]: we hear about god being our protector and our comforter and our friend and all of these connect

[00:39:15] [SPEAKER_01]: with that so you would say I see you and I understand your pain you are safe now I am here for you

[00:39:23] [SPEAKER_01]: and I love you just as you are and then as you speak notice the expressions and emotions in

[00:39:30] [SPEAKER_01]: your reflection or if your eyes are closed how do you feel how do you feel keep taking deep breaths

[00:39:38] [SPEAKER_01]: not forced but natural and allow yourself to feel the connection between your present self and your

[00:39:45] [SPEAKER_01]: inner child so allow yourself to feel the connection between your present self and your

[00:39:50] [SPEAKER_01]: inner child so so far you have created a safe environment relaxed and grounded yourself

[00:39:59] [SPEAKER_01]: visualized your inner child you opened your eyes and or connected with your inner child that you

[00:40:05] [SPEAKER_01]: visualized and then you engage with your inner child by showing kindness and compassion now

[00:40:11] [SPEAKER_01]: positive affirmations repeat positive affirmations to your inner child while maintaining eye contact

[00:40:18] [SPEAKER_01]: in the mirror or if your eyes are closed you can repeat these in your mind repeat positive

[00:40:24] [SPEAKER_01]: affirmations to your inner child with your eyes closed or while maintaining eye contact in the

[00:40:30] [SPEAKER_01]: mirror examples include you are worthy of love and happiness you are worthy of love and happiness

[00:40:38] [SPEAKER_01]: you are strong and resilient you are strong and resilient you deserve to be cared for and

[00:40:46] [SPEAKER_01]: protected you deserve to be cared for and protected and you can say those as many times

[00:40:52] [SPEAKER_01]: as you like you can add more to them you can add scriptures to them of course but say those affirmations

[00:40:57] [SPEAKER_01]: slowly and with sincerity allowing the words to seep into your body and your mind and your neural

[00:41:04] [SPEAKER_01]: network and your tissues and your organs and just resonate deeply so say them slowly and

[00:41:10] [SPEAKER_01]: with sincerity and allow them to seep into your mind okay so number six is positive affirmations

[00:41:18] [SPEAKER_01]: so when you're done you might come out of this slowly take a few deep breaths wiggle your fingers and

[00:41:24] [SPEAKER_01]: toes if you're meditating and if you're doing a mirror exercise you might just kind of slowly

[00:41:29] [SPEAKER_01]: kind of come out of it kind of be more as observant of your environment around you the

[00:41:34] [SPEAKER_01]: sounds the light the feeling and all of that just to kind of ground yourself back into reality

[00:41:39] [SPEAKER_01]: but step seven is reflect in journal and this could be true whether you did the mirror

[00:41:44] [SPEAKER_01]: exercise or you did the meditation you might even find a meditation on insight timer or somewhere

[00:41:51] [SPEAKER_01]: that does something similar and you'll get the same idea do some kind of inner child meditation

[00:41:56] [SPEAKER_01]: but after spending some time speaking with your inner child take a moment to reflect on the experience

[00:42:01] [SPEAKER_01]: the reason you're doing this is to reiterate it so that you're developing those mirror

[00:42:05] [SPEAKER_01]: neurons you're making those connections you're not just experiencing that in the moment but

[00:42:09] [SPEAKER_01]: you're reiterating it so write down any emotions thoughts or insights that arose during the exercise

[00:42:16] [SPEAKER_01]: in your journal so reflect in journal after spending some time speaking with your inner child

[00:42:22] [SPEAKER_01]: take a moment to reflect on the experience write down any emotions thoughts or insights

[00:42:28] [SPEAKER_01]: that arose during the exercise in your journal and consider these prompts how did it feel to

[00:43:02] [SPEAKER_01]: see and speak to your inner

[00:43:05] [SPEAKER_01]: your inner child, kindness and compassion.

[00:43:08] [SPEAKER_01]: So number eight, two more steps. Number eight is close with compassion. In the exercise by placing your hand over your heart,

[00:43:17] [SPEAKER_01]: take a few deep breaths and say a final compassionate message to your inner child such as

[00:43:22] [SPEAKER_01]: I will continue to protect you and nurture you. So you'll end the exercise by placing your hand on your heart,

[00:43:29] [SPEAKER_01]: taking a few deep breaths and saying something final to the child that resonates with you

[00:43:33] [SPEAKER_01]: such as I will continue to protect and nurture you. And then number nine is just to repeat the

[00:43:39] [SPEAKER_01]: practice regularly. You'll get better at it, you'll find strategies and a routine that works for you

[00:43:44] [SPEAKER_01]: and you'll find different versions of it that work better for you. So practice the exercise regularly

[00:43:50] [SPEAKER_01]: especially when you feel triggered and emotionally vulnerable. And keep in mind that this is something

[00:43:54] [SPEAKER_01]: that as you get better at it and you learn how to do it, you can do it a very short version

[00:43:58] [SPEAKER_01]: of it or you can do a longer version depending on the time you have. But consistent practice

[00:44:03] [SPEAKER_01]: will help reinforce positive neural pathways and foster deep healing. It'll help you heal your inner

[00:44:08] [SPEAKER_01]: child, help you heal your neural network and also help you to heal your mirror neurons, right?

[00:44:15] [SPEAKER_01]: So it's all connected and it'll help you to start to release trauma from your body. By engaging

[00:44:21] [SPEAKER_01]: in this exercise though, you'll create a compassionate and healing dialogue with your

[00:44:26] [SPEAKER_01]: inner child nurturing the parts of you that need love and understanding. So let me repeat the

[00:44:31] [SPEAKER_01]: steps in the mirror neuron healing exercise for the inner child. You'll need a quiet comfortable space,

[00:44:39] [SPEAKER_01]: a mirror, a journal or a notebook or a place to meditate and a pen. You'll create a safe environment,

[00:44:46] [SPEAKER_01]: relax and ground yourself, visualize your inner child, open your eyes if you're doing the

[00:44:52] [SPEAKER_01]: mirror technique, close your eyes if you're doing the meditation, engage with the inner child by

[00:44:57] [SPEAKER_01]: speaking it to it with kindness, do positive affirmations and repeat those to your inner child.

[00:45:04] [SPEAKER_01]: Reflect in journal once you come out of your meditation or your talk in the mirror and then

[00:45:10] [SPEAKER_01]: close with compassion and then repeat regularly. So some people would think it's silly to talk

[00:45:16] [SPEAKER_01]: to yourself in the mirror and it does feel weird and awkward at first. I'll be honest,

[00:45:21] [SPEAKER_01]: I've never fully gotten comfortable with the idea but that doesn't mean that you can't

[00:45:26] [SPEAKER_01]: and that doesn't mean that you won't. And I've just found that closing my eyes and doing the

[00:45:30] [SPEAKER_01]: meditation version is better for me but for some people that eye-to-eye contact is very powerful

[00:45:35] [SPEAKER_01]: and that is literally mirroring what you need to see and what you need to hear and reiterating

[00:45:41] [SPEAKER_01]: that as you do this exercise again and again. So that is what is the connection between mirror

[00:45:50] [SPEAKER_01]: neurons and childhood trauma. This has been episode 13, season 4. I'm your host Rachel Leroy

[00:45:56] [SPEAKER_01]: and we have gone over talking about what mirror neurons are, the connection between mirror neurons

[00:46:03] [SPEAKER_01]: and childhood trauma and how you can use mirror neurons to heal your inner child and to heal

[00:46:08] [SPEAKER_01]: childhood trauma. So I hope that this talk has been helpful. Remember that you can find

[00:46:13] [SPEAKER_01]: everything that we talked about including the sources and all of the resources that I mentioned

[00:46:17] [SPEAKER_01]: at the beginning of the talk in the show notes. They're all linked in the show notes. I may also

[00:46:23] [SPEAKER_01]: put this exercise in a link in the show notes. Now the show notes have a limitation of how long

[00:46:28] [SPEAKER_01]: they can be so I have to sometimes use a link and it links over to a Google document. So if you

[00:46:33] [SPEAKER_01]: see that link just click on it, it'll be clear what it is and then you can find all the

[00:46:38] [SPEAKER_01]: information you need the sources, all of the information from this and I will put this

[00:46:44] [SPEAKER_01]: exercise where you can see it and you can use it. That's it for now. Thank you so much for listening.

[00:46:50] [SPEAKER_01]: Remember, beloveds, you are fearfully and wonderfully made and God loves you. Have a great day.

[00:46:57] [SPEAKER_00]: Thank you so much for tuning in to this week's episode of Christian emotional recovery

[00:47:03] [SPEAKER_00]: hosted by Rachel Leroy. For links to this week's resources and to join the discussion

[00:47:09] [SPEAKER_00]: check out this episode's show notes at Christian emotional recovery dot com where you can also

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[00:47:21] [SPEAKER_00]: and resources. If you enjoyed the podcast, please rate and review the podcast and tell a friend who

[00:47:28] [SPEAKER_00]: may benefit from this message. See you next time and remember, beloveds, God loves you and you

[00:47:35] [SPEAKER_00]: are fearfully and wonderfully made.