Thus, much of our most important emotional and interpersonal learning occurs during our early years when our primitive brains are in control. The result is that a great deal of learning takes place before we have the necessary cortical systems for explicit memory, problem solving, or perspective. Consequently, many of our most important socioemotional learning experiences are organized and controlled by reflexes, behaviors, and emotions outside of our awareness and distorted by our immature brains. To a great extent, psychotherapy owes its existence to these artifacts of evolution and
...more
