Brenda Knowles's Blog: Space2live, page 15

Power, Dopamine and the Sensitive Person

Recently on The Highly Sensitive Person Podcast, Dr. Amy Banks, former psychiatry instructor at Harvard Medical School, stated that we receive a hit of dopamine when we feel we have power over someone. “Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that helps control the brain’s reward and pleasure centers. Dopamine also helps regulate movement and emotional response, and it enables [...]

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Power, Dopamine and the Sensitive Soul

Recently on The Highly Sensitive Person Podcast, Dr. Amy Banks, former psychiatry instructor at Harvard Medical School, stated that we receive a hit of dopamine when we feel we have power over someone. “Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that helps control the brain’s reward and pleasure centers. Dopamine also helps regulate movement and emotional response, and it enables [...]

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Reducing Reactivity: Soothing the Sensitive Person

Some of us have been primed for high reactivity. Our early caregivers or past relationships did not provide consistent comforting and nurturing, so our nervous systems developed a sensitivity to possible abandonment. We tend to react strongly if we feel at all threatened. Sometimes these strong reactions lead to self-fulfilling prophesies. The more we react, [...]

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Does Your Partner Accept Your Influence? The Importance of Sharing Decision-Making in a Relationship

I recently figured out one of the striking blows that destroyed my marriage. During the last five years of our marriage, I did not feel like my words or actions were given any credence in conversations, problem-solving or decision-making. My husband did not accept my influence. I hope by casting light on this common issue, [...]

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How Safety and Physiology Affect Our Socializing

...the theory explains how safety is not the removal of threat and that feeling safe is dependent on unique cues in the environment and our relationships that have an active inhibition on defense circuits and promote health and feelings of love and trust. — Dr. Stephen Porges speaking of the polyvagal theory I take the above quote [...]

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Support Systems, Voids and Values

It was a cold Sunday morning. I wanted to stay home, snuggle with my man, drink tea, read and eventually get ready for the Vikings football party we were hosting later that day. But I told my friend Nicole, I would be there to cheer her on during the Twin Cities marathon. I committed to [...]

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Something Had to Give

Hi Everyone, There will be no real post this week. I made every effort to fit in writing time but the universe had other plans, like a shoulder injury, a fruit fly infestation and once-in-a-lifetime friend events I could not miss. To maintain my emotional and physical well being, I am giving myself a break [...]

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Perfectionism Won’t Protect You but It May Make You Invisible

"If we just try hard enough we can avoid all these situations that make us feel so vulnerable."  — Caroline McGraw How many of us can relate to the above statement? I know I can. For the longest time, I thought if I do everything just right, no one will call me out or criticize [...]

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Creating Relationship Security When You Have an Anxious Attachment Style

When we have a secure attachment style we have a basic trust in others and we are able to set good boundaries for ourselves. We believe our partners are there for us and we do not have a problem being there for them. Avoidant attachment Some of us grew up with shaky attachments to our [...]

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Empathy and Action: Helping Others Out of Anxiety or Depression

My mother went through bouts of depression, especially after my sister and I left the house. We provided pleasure and purpose for her. We also were her main source of emotional support. Even after my sister and I left home, we did our best to keep Mom in good spirits. We were not very successful. [...]

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