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Emotional and spiritual maturity

Have you ever experienced emotions that you found terrifying? Most of us have, but it's easy to think otherwise because we are usually loathe to discuss them even with the people we love. Often, when we are seized by strong feelings, especially negative ones like anger or hate, our instinct is to try and push them aside. This may be because...[ read more ]

Introduction to the brain. Part 5: the temporal lobe

In the last part of our short series on parts of the brain, we will look at the temporal lobe. The brain is divided into four main lobes and the temporal one lies at the bottom in the center. It gets its name from the fact that it is placed between the temples on either side of the the head....[ read more ]

Introduction to the brain. Part 4: the anterior cingulate cortex

Last week we looked at the prefrontal cortex. Nestled right behind it is our topic for part 4: the anterior cingulate cortex. Painful emotions The anterior cingulate cortex (or ACC, as we will call it for short) is connected to many different parts of the brain. One of these is the limbic system, the 'emotional nervous system', which we looked...[ read more ]

Introduction to the brain. Part 3: the prefrontal cortex

Fresh from looking at the limbic system and basal ganglia, this week we will take a look at the prefrontal cortex. This fearsome sounding phrase just means the part of the brain at the very front, right behind your forehead. As we discussed in the previous two weeks, it's impossible to narrow down any part of the brain to just...[ read more ]

Introduction to the brain. Part 2: the basal ganglia

Last week we looked at the limbic system. This week we move on to the basal ganglia, which is technically a part of the limbic system, but important enough to merit a post of its own. The basal ganglia and movement The basal ganglia is in charge of voluntary movement. We all assume that all we have to do move some...[ read more ]

Introduction to the brain. Part 1: the limbic system

Advances in neuroscience over the past 100 years have revolutionized the practice of psychology. Without an understanding of the the brain as an organ, psychology was stuck in its "Pre-Copernican" phase. Imagine trying to design the perfect diet without knowing what the stomach and liver are supposed to do! With each new discovery about how the brain works, psychologists can improve the...[ read more ]

Americans are suffering with drugs alone

Nearly fifty years into the war on drugs, we seem further away from victory than ever. Research shows that as many as one in ten Americans have had a serious problem with drug abuse at some point in their life. Right now, four percent of our countrymen are addicted to drugs. What's almost as disturbing, though, is how few of them...[ read more ]

Cherishing your spouse

For many people going about their daily lives, cherishing one's spouse is often not something that comes to the front of one's mind. In Gary Thomas's book “The Art of Cherishing your Spouse,” he describes the steps that need to be taken in order to nurture your relationship with your spouse and value them for who they are and not...[ read more ]

How your brain chemistry affects your addiction

The Butler Center for Research has published an update about the functionality of brain chemistry and why chronic substance abusers continue their destructive behavior even when there is clear evidence that it leads to a myriad of problems. Click here to read the full article. (more…)

The truth behind addiction

The word addiction is thrown around very freely these days, and the first things that come to mind for most of us, is alcohol, drugs and maybe even cigarettes. In Shawn Henfling's article for The Good Men Project, he offers another perspective as he takes a deeper look into addiction, and gives us more to think about than what first...[ read more ]

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