Rewiring Neural States in Couples Therapy: Advances from Affective Neuroscience

Abstract Many clinical approaches assume that the development of new stories or narratives is at the heart of therapeutic change. But why is it often so difficult for clients to modify the stories that organize their lives? Why do new insights gained in therapy fade so quickly when clients return to their daily living? Provocative new neurological research suggests that self-defeating narratives may persist because they are woven into the fabric of internal states which are automatically activated in daily living, often without conscious awareness. New brain studies suggest that, for changes acquired in therapy to last, they must be integrated into brain states that become active when upsetting situations occur. This paper introduces methods for helping clients identify internal states which perpetuate outmoded thoughts, attitudes, and interactions, “re-wire” these states for more flexibility, and activate alternate states which support new avenues for thought and action.