5: Value of the Relationship in Recovery
Have ever noticed that some therapists have "it" and some don't? What is "it" that makes some therapists so successful and sought after? During this session, Gina Verne, MPA CSW lead a discussion on the role of empathy and trust and discussed ways in which therapists can improve their relationship building skills. Link to her presentation. She presented a short clip from the movie "Patch Adams" to illustrate the transformative power of an empathetic relationship. John Fossella then introduced the work of a few people who are actively studying the brain mechanisms that are involved in trust and social bonding in order to better understand why this relationship is so vital for recovery. Professor Daniel J. Seigel MD gives a video presentation from his Mindsight Institute that helped us start to understand how a good relationship gets a client's brain systems running in a healthy way. Dr. Reade Montague's work using 2-person hyperscanning allows for interactions to be monitored directly using fMRI. He suggests (listen to his related podcast here) that synaptic connections are strengthened by dopamine in a manner that is regulated by how well each participant manages the other person's expectations. Thus, a well managed interaction can lead to optimal dopamine release which, in turn, facilitates neural connectivity and recovery. This is just the tip of a complex system, but it seems to be one plausible mechanism that links relationships with brain repair and recovery.(Link to part 2 presentation)
Comments, suggestions and questions are most welcome !
Bridgeway
Rehabilitative Services sponsors this discussion in a
continuing education effort and ongoing program to remove stigma from
mental illness. We are grateful for support from The Center for
the Study and Promotion of Recovery from Severe Mental Illness
and the Merck
Company Foundation.