Unveiling the Snowman Brain

Hello, hello, hello…good to see you!

Magical Lesson:

Here's a clip from the last class about why as an Advanced Bitch, we must work hard to not give into shame and negative self-talk.

The figure I'm holding up is an expertly rendered picture of the brain. It helps me to understand the brain through the metaphor of a snowman.

The story I'm referring to is that I just started taking an exercise class that includes men (something I've never done before) and a man started walking toward me and I panicked and then he literally walked right on by me. So my lower brain activated and thought danger was ahead and it was completely wrong. I illustrate what happened in my brain with my completely accurate image of the brain I drew.

The top circle/Frosty's head is the neocortex/frontal lobe/executive function. The middle circle/snowman's torso is the mammalian brain and every mammal raised in groups has one and it's the "seat of emotions, the monitor of danger.. What's important or not for survival purposes."

The bottom circle/don't know what that's called in snowman anatomy is the reptilian brain and is responsible for the housekeeping of the body like hunger, sleep, temperature, breathing, getting rid of toxins in the body, and all the inner workings and systems of the body.

Van der Kolk refers to the mammalian brain and the reptilian brain combined as the "emotional brain," which is why I circle both the middle and bottom circles.

If you like the clip, you'll love The Trauma Book Book Club. I teach complicated research in down to earth and irreverent ways (see the snowman brain). We deep dive into important books and I work my hardest to make you feel safe, seen, understood, and supported. Join here.

With so much love and fairy dust,

Elizabeth
Reference: The Body Keeps the Score

*Disclaimer: Although I am a Licensed Professional Counselor, I offer these Advanced Lessons in Personal Growth and Magical Action Step as a CPTSD Kid who is doing the work to heal and sharing the magic I learn along the way. In the 12-step world, we call that sharing our experience, strength, and hope. This is not intended to be psychotherapy. Some of the lessons and assignments could be triggering, so I recommend if you do find them triggering to stop reading/not try them and to immediately seek the support and expertise of a professional psychotherapist.