In my brain scan research with Andrew Newberg at the University of Pennsylvania, we were studying the neurological correlates of different spiritual practices, including Buddhist meditation, Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, Franciscan nuns practicing Christian Centering Prayer, Kirtan Kriya, Sufi chanting, Brazilian shamans channeling the dead, and a wide range of other experiments, including what goes on the brains of atheists. From these studies, I began to identify key elements that eventually became the foundation for many of the NeuroCoach strategies you have been studying.
One of our most important discoveries involved the discovery that focusing on inner values because they helped a person to identify unrecognized principles that were at the core of an individual’s personal and spiritual development. In our work with many religious and spiritual organizations, we found that people who shared their inner values with each other – and especially members of different denominations – would show more compassion and kindness toward each other. In Video #3, below, Grace Reynolds (who is an Episcopal Deacon working with many religious schools and trauma organizations) will guide you through a brilliant version of how she introduces spiritual values to her students.
People who seek out NeuroCoaching are rarely searching for spiritual direction, but if they do have a religious practice, you can easily show them how to reach deeper contemplative states by having them integrate Relaxed Mindful Awareness and the Inner Values exercise into their current meditation practice.
In Section I of this Lesson plan, I’ll share with you some of the creative exercises that we developed that could be used in schools to encourage discussion on how spiritual practices can be used to increase psychological well-being, and to explore ways to promote a deeper understanding of the neuroscience of meditation. I’ve also included three Q&A sessions with Andy Newberg that I think you’ll find highly rewarding, along with a fascinating discussion on consciousness with one of my Holmes Institute students, and another Holmes student who initially felt worried that her beliefs would be challenged when taking my “Spirituality & the Brain” course.
In Section II, I’ve given you access to a wonderful program created by Michael Kirton, an Australian psychologist and Trauma-Centered NeuroCoach. In his decades of experience, he has worked with some of the most difficult patients in the world including murderers, bullies, drug addicts, traumatized combat veterans, and others, and in his presentation case histories, he’ll demonstrate how one can bring NeuroCoaching strategies into one’s work to achieve remarkable results. There are also several presentations I created showing how psychotherapy became trapped in the diagnosis-and-treatment cycle that interferes with post-traumatic growth.
In Section III, I’ve included a number of NeuroCoaching sessions that I conducted in 2016 working with people struggling with serious emotional and cognitive problems. As a NeuroCoach, you will often encounter unexpected issues, unusual perspectives, unique worldviews and beliefs, and qualities that may indicate medical or psychiatric problems. You’ll also encounter clients who struggle with their religious beliefs, and others who have existential issues relating to life’s meaning and purpose. Surprisingly, these topics are rarely addressed in the coaching and psychotherapeutic literature. You’ll also meet clients who are struggling with delusional beliefs, or who may have specific neurological problems that compromise their psychological well-being. These individuals will often find relief by practicing Relaxed Mindful Awareness, exploring core values and beliefs, and using their intuition to deepen self-trust.
Mindfully Yours,
Mark Waldman