Interpersonal Neurobiology (IPNB) is a part of the new wave of psychotherapy that integrates existing therapy forms (attachment theory, psychodynamics, mindfulness) with the latest developments in brain science. This therapy is built on the works of Daniel Siegel, Louis Cozolino, Bonnie Badenoch, and Allan Schore. IPNB asserts that the human brain is fundamentally a social organ, meaning that no understanding of a single brain can be complete without considering the influences that others have and have had on us, thus the "interpersonal" component of the name. Thousands of years of evolutionary biology back up this assertion. The "neurobiology" component of the name comes from the belief that a better understanding of the brain's anatomy, function, and development will make psychotherapy more effective and efficient. IPNB can be used as a standalone therapy or as an adjunct to an existing technique.
IPNB utilizes a clear, 9-part linear system when it comes to the practice of the theory. The 1st 3-steps include developing mindful attention, understanding the necessity of both logic and intuition, and increasing our vocabulary for the body's language, a.k.a. feelings. The next 3 steps integrate the historical and autobiographical components of the mind. In Step 4, we understand the effect of past experiences on our present-day reality. How memory and neuroplasticity shape expectations for the present and future. In step 5, memory is combined with awareness to understand our previous narrative and update a new narrative. Step 6 of the model, state integration, aims for flexible movement between differentiated feeling states, i.e., sadness, joy, frustration, and excitement, to understand that rigidity or chaos breeds suffering.
The last 3 steps of IPNB are philosophical in their scope. Step 7, temporal or existential integration, seeks to make friends with a paradox: the need for meaning, safety, and comfort in a world that depends on who you ask, fundamentally meaningless or beyond comprehension by humanity. Step 8, interpersonal integration, aims to use new tools developed in steps 1-7 and utilize them in relationships with others. This leads to deeper and more fulfilling relationships. Step 9, transpirational integration, a.k.a. flow state, is the transcendence of the sense of self through greater awareness of all domains of our life – blissful consciousness.
IPNB is a continually updating practice, with the understanding that as new scientific and sociological developments occur, so will our need to change the implementation of psychotherapy. The theory's beauty is that it builds-on rather than replaces the established and effective techniques of meditation, attachment theory, psychoanalysis, and systems theories.
IPNB utilizes a clear, 9-part linear system when it comes to the practice of the theory. The 1st 3-steps include developing mindful attention, understanding the necessity of both logic and intuition, and increasing our vocabulary for the body's language, a.k.a. feelings. The next 3 steps integrate the historical and autobiographical components of the mind. In Step 4, we understand the effect of past experiences on our present-day reality. How memory and neuroplasticity shape expectations for the present and future. In step 5, memory is combined with awareness to understand our previous narrative and update a new narrative. Step 6 of the model, state integration, aims for flexible movement between differentiated feeling states, i.e., sadness, joy, frustration, and excitement, to understand that rigidity or chaos breeds suffering.
The last 3 steps of IPNB are philosophical in their scope. Step 7, temporal or existential integration, seeks to make friends with a paradox: the need for meaning, safety, and comfort in a world that depends on who you ask, fundamentally meaningless or beyond comprehension by humanity. Step 8, interpersonal integration, aims to use new tools developed in steps 1-7 and utilize them in relationships with others. This leads to deeper and more fulfilling relationships. Step 9, transpirational integration, a.k.a. flow state, is the transcendence of the sense of self through greater awareness of all domains of our life – blissful consciousness.
IPNB is a continually updating practice, with the understanding that as new scientific and sociological developments occur, so will our need to change the implementation of psychotherapy. The theory's beauty is that it builds-on rather than replaces the established and effective techniques of meditation, attachment theory, psychoanalysis, and systems theories.