How Does TEAM-CBT Affect the Brain?

The famed neuroscientist, Dr. Mark Noble, from the University of Rochester, has developed a strong interest in TEAM-CBT and has visited our Tuesday group and Sunday hikes on three occasions this year. I (David) feel very fortunate to have his collaboration and interest!

Mark and David at the Cupertino Plaza for a sumptuous dim sum feast at the Joy Luck Palace following a Sunday hike.

Mark is a Stanford-trained geneticist and molecular biologist who is considered one of founders of the field of stem cell research. He has been developing a model of how TEAM-CBT affects the brain, and graciously agreed to present his model at our Tuesday evening Stanford TEAM-CBT seminar last week. Although his model is not yet fully polished and refined, and involves considerable speculation, it is an exciting first step, kind of like the time when astronomers broke away from the Catholic church and started trying to make sense of the universe. In this instance it is the “inner universe” Dr. Noble, all of us, are trying to understand. His model will evolve and get more and more refined over time.

The participants in the seminar really liked his concept that we are doing micro-neurosurgery for depressed patients with TEAM-CBT! He is convinced that the rapid recovery we see with TEAM-CBT will probably never be equaled by medication, since the brain circuits that modulate happiness and unhappiness tend to use the same neurotransmitters. But with language, you can affect brain circuits far more selectively and effectively, almost like a micro-neuro-surgeon.

Dr. Noble describes brain function in terms of the SNEFF model. This stands for Structures, Networks, Emotions, Frames and Filters, and links these concepts to the prefrontal cortex, amygdala and sympathetic nervous system. Then he describes the four steps of TEAM (T = Testing, E = Empathy, A = (Paradoxical) Agenda Setting, and M = Methods), and links each step to the SNEFF model, making interesting speculations on how TEAM works and what makes it so effective.

Dr. Noble also discusses David’s “fractal” theory about psychotherapy and relates that to brain function as well as to the mathematics of complex structures. He describes how and why some people get stuck in the “homeostasis” of chronic, refractory depression and explains why TEAM-CBT is usually able to trigger sudden and dramatic changes in the brain, as well as in the way the depressed and anxious individual thinks, feels, and behaves. He also explains why conventional talk therapy is unlikely to be helpful for individuals struggling with depression and anxiety, and may, in some cases, make the depression worse.

This is because neurons that “fire together wire together.” In other words, if you go to therapy and complain or emote about your life and your problems over and over, without taking action to change, the circuits in your brain that support complaining and feeling depressed will just get more and more intensely wired together.

Dr. Noble also speculates on why Paradoxical Agenda Setting is such an important key in ultra-rapid-recovery and in the sudden transformation of brain function as well.

Years ago, when I was kid on vacation in Minnesota, I saw an article in a small newspaper published in a rural area. A local scientist had speculated that one day we would have guided missiles and satellites and drew a simple diagram for the newspaper of how they would work. At the time it seemed a bit like science fiction, and I wondered if an unknown scientist from a small rural Minnesota town could actually predict a major scientific development. But now we see that he was right.

Will we someday think about Dr. Noble in the same way? Listen to this exciting podcast, and you can decide for yourself!

You might be interested in some of the comments from individuals who attended the Stanford seminar and heard Dr. Noble’s talk:

• Mark’s work was wonderful in helping me understand the map of TEAM onto the brain. We’re all micro-neurosurgeons!! Everyone has honorary MDs!
• Loved the presentation!
• Mark’s presentation was fascinating! I got really excited about all of the interesting research that could come out of it.
• I absolutely appreciated Mark’s presentation on his research and how made the connections with TEAM. This was truly very interesting and helpful, and made me realize how fortunate I am to belong to this Tuesday group!
• Interesting new perspectives brought in by our guest speaker
• I highly enjoyed Mark’s visit and was captivated by the information! Thank you!
• Loved learning how frames and filters interact to build experience.
• AWESOME PRESENTATION! It was wonderful to hear Mark’s presentation. He did an outstanding job and I was extremely fascinated with the information he presented to us. He did a fantastic job in describing brain functioning in relation to TEAM CBT. Loved every minute of it!
• I loved the concept of fractals in creating the concentrated surge of change into the next “valley” rang true.
• I resonated with the importance of “storytelling” and the value of a client being heard and respected when the therapist uses the Five Secrets of Effective Communication, and how this induces a sense of the client being equal, and how that can quiet the agitated brain!

David

Attend my 2018 Summer Intensive in San Francisco!

This year, I am again offering my annual SF summer intensive in August at the South San Francisco Conference Center. This four-day intensive is almost always my most exciting and rewarding workshop of the year.

Here are the details:

David’s TEAM-CBT Summer Intensive

August 6 – 9, 2018, South San Francisco Conference Center, California

For more information, click here, or call IAHB.org at 800-258-8411

Here are just a few of the really cool things about this intensive:

• You will have the chance to practice techniques in small groups after I demonstrate each technique with a live demonstration in the front of the room.
• You will get immediate feedback and personal grooming from me and from many of my colleagues from my weekly TEAM-CBT training group at Stanford. They’ll be there to help you, and I’ll be there to help you, too!
• There will be a live demonstration on the evening of day 1. The amazing Dr. Jill Levitt will be my co-therapist. Last year’s live demonstration, and in fact all of them in recent years, have been jaw-dropping and incredibly inspirational!
• You’ll get a chance to practice TEAM-CBT in real time the evening of day 3. This will be an incredibly challenging but rewarding “solo flight.”
• You will be able to do your own personal work on the last day of the workshop using the Externalization of Voices and Acceptance Paradox. In previous workshops, at least 60% of the participants indicated they experienced jubilant enlightenment during this exercise. Their fears and insecurities suddenly vanished!
• You’ll learn how to do Relapse Prevention Training (RPT).
• You’ll learn how to improve your empathy skills.
• You’ll learn tons of powerful cognitive, behavioral, and motivational treatment techniques for depression and all of the anxiety disorders.
• You will have the abundant opportunities to schmooze with colleagues, network, and have fun.
• You will have two fabulous free luncheon banquets featuring talks by Sunny Choi, LCSW, who is using TEAM-CBT successfully with an underserved population in primary care with limited resources and language skills (“I must apologize for my success.”), and the wonderful Vandana Aspen, PhD, who will speak on “New Treatment Strategies for Eating Disorders.”)
• And much more.

If you can only attend one of my workshops this year, the South San Francisco August intensive is the one to attend!