Mind-body dualism was a legacy of Philosopher Descartes in the 1600s: the idea that the mind is separate to matter (the body).
These ideas laid the foundations for Western healthcare systems which saw ‘doctors’ treat bodies and ‘therapists’ focus on minds. While there is little question that medical science has done incredible things to understand and treat illness, this separation has also undoubtedly limited potential for developing our understanding of the role of the mind in health.
Moreover, psychological theory has what can only be described as a ‘top down’ bias, emphasising mental processes and minimising the ‘bottom up’ processes (feelings) emanating from our bodies.
“The full range of experience, from trauma to joy, shows up in the body, and the autonomic nervous system tells this story” Dana, 2018.
Polyvagal Theory, developed by Stephen Porges, provides a modern map of the autonomic nervous system and a new understanding of a mind-body connection which places body feelings as central to our moment to moment experiences.
Executive summary: it ain’t ALL about the thinking, people. Modern science has your back when it comes to trusting your gut, listening to your body and being led by sense and intuition. It’s WAY more about the feels than they’d have had us believe all this time.
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