As some of you know, I am a great advocate of the work of world-leading trauma expert Dr. Bruce Perry and his colleagues. Bruce has contributed significantly to our understanding of trauma, resilience and healing, as well as disconnection and its adverse consequences. He emphasises the need to regulate the brain’s stress response system to facilitate connection; the Regulate-Relate-Reason heuristic is a key foundation of his approach. As a former neuroscientist, I can really relate to his ideas about brain function in relation to all of the above.
Bruce’s book with Oprah Winfrey, What Happened To You: Conversations on Trauma, Resilience, and Healing is a classic. He has providing various forms of education, including film series on YouTube. Here is one such series, which is really essential viewing for anyone interested in these issues. Here is how this series is described on the Neurosequential Network website.
‘The videos in this series with Dr. Bruce Perry are provided to view and share. We have closed captioned each video. To change captions from English to another language, select “settings” (cog at bottom right), select “Subtitles/CC” then select “Auto-translate” and finally select the language of your choice.
NN Series: 1 – Patterns of Stress determine Risk & Resilience
This brief (15 min) video with Dr. Bruce Perry discusses how the pattern of stress can determine risk or resilience. The importance of structure, predicability and moderation of daily stress is highlighted. The malleability of the capacity to demonstrate resilience is discussed. https://youtu.be/orwIn02h6V4
NN Series: 2 – Understanding State-dependent Functioning
This brief (22 min) video with Dr. Bruce Perry reviews how stress and distress change the way we think, feel and behave. The relevance for the current pandemic is discussed. https://youtu.be/PZg1dlskBLA
NN Series: 3 – Emotional Contagion
In this brief (20 min) video, Dr. Bruce Perry discusses ’emotional contagion’ and talks about the power of calm. The concept of power differential is discussed in context of human interactions and discusses the importance of calm, regulated leadership in times of stress and distress. https://youtu.be/96evhMPcY2Y
NN Series: 4 – Sequence of Engagement
This is a brief (20 min) video describing the sequential processing of experience in the brain. The Regulate-Relate-Reason heuristic is explained. This simple but powerful concept can help minimize miscommunication and behavioral challenges (especially with dysregulated adults and children). https://youtu.be/LNuxy7FxEVk
NN Series: 5 – Understanding Regulation
This brief (23 min) video reviews some of the basics of ‘regulation’ and helps viewers understand why patterned, repetitive somatosensory activity is regulating. The primary regulatory role of dissociation is also discussed. Very basic neuroscience about stress and regulation can help viewers understand the power of intentional regulatory practices https://youtu.be/L3qIYGwmHYY
NN Series: 6 – Dosing & Spacing
This brief (25 min) video discusses elaborates on the importance of the “pattern” of stress and stress activation with a focus on the concept of ‘dosing.’ What is considered a “moderate” dose of stress – why is this important in building resilience? And what is the power of the moment? This video presents some important background for understanding the importance of small but powerful relational moments. https://youtu.be/5ATSl8XhF-k
NN Series: 7 – Self-care & Organizational Care
This brief (25 min) video highlights the reasons self-care and organizational care are needed for individuals and organizations that work in high stress settings, or with individuals with trauma histories. Examples of integration of regulatory strategies into work-flow are provided. https://youtu.be/VcDTXJpCMiY
NN Series: 8 – Decision Fatigue
This brief (21 min) video discusses the importance of regulation during decision-making. Decision fatigue and analysis paralysis can impede the development of creative solutions during times of crisis. A few simple guidelines can improve decision-making and lead to more effective practice, programs and policy – especially when created during times of duress. https://youtu.be/Yc-Nv8eqfgM
NN Series: 9 – Managing Transitions
This brief (27 min) video helps viewers understand transitions as stressors, and provides concrete strategies to help individuals and organizations struggling with transitions. This knowledge is foundational in managing the uncertain times and many transitions that are inevitable in any crisis. https://youtu.be/cA7UbKnM0RM
NN Series: 10 – Reward & Maladaptive Regulation using Alcohol & Substances
This brief (16 min) video provides an introduction to the reward neurobiology and how this relates to the use and misuse of alcohol and substances of ‘abuse’ to provide regulation and reward. The importance of understanding the neurobiology underneath ‘reward’ seeking behaviors is highlighted. The role that stress, distress and trauma play in altering our reward seeking and reward ‘quenching’ behaviors is discussed. https://youtu.be/FZan9ZRMMCM
NN Series: 11 – Sport in Healing & Resilience Building
This special one hour edition of the NM Network Series on Stress & Trauma features a conversation about the potential regulating, rewarding & healing effects of sport. The underlying rationale of the collaborative work of WeCoach and the Neurosequential Network is discussed, in part. This is a useful introduction to stress, trauma and resilience for coaches, parents, athletes and anyone interested in sport or traumatic stress. https://youtu.be/hbkx_48j_vY
NN Series: 12 – Understanding the Power Differential
This (31 min) video discusses the dynamics of interpersonal interactions; a “power differential” is created when two people interact. A dominance hierarchy can influence emotional, social and cognitive functioning. The individual on the bottom of the power differential will have a ‘state-dependent’ shift in brain-functioning and feel more anxious or even threatened. The role that gender, race, role and physical proximity can play in this dynamic is discussed, as is the importance of power differential dynamics in understanding equity concepts. https://youtu.be/ulwfwYDffV8
NN Series: 13 – The Intimacy Barrier
This (25 min) video discusses the concept of ‘relational sensitivity’; when intimacy becomes an evocative cue, there can be a host of problems with forming and maintaining relationships. This is a common issue with children, youth and adults who have had inconsistent, unpredictable or abusive early caregiving. https://youtu.be/7crm3JcVfJs
NN Series: 14 – Distributed Leadership
This (30 min) video provides an overview of the power of distributed leadership. The awareness of the neurobiological ‘preferences’ that we have for small group functioning and dynamics provides some insight to the inefficient forms of large group planning and program development that characterize our current child welfare, mental health, juvenile justice and early childhood systems. https://youtu.be/DecR-4x_eO4‘