Collaborative Therapy and Neurobiology

Marie-Nathalie Beaudoin, PhD, a pioneer in developing practical ways of applying neurobiology, has published over thirty inspiring articles, DVDs, books, and has been featured in AAMFT’s Family Therapy. She is the founder of SKIPS, and maintains a private practice of clinical and consulting services. Marie-Nathalie is an acclaimed international speaker, well-known for thought-provoking and energizing presentations. www.mnbeaudoin.com Jim Duvall, MEd, RSW, is the director of the JST Institute and has been senior editor of Journal of Systemic Therapies for over ten years. He is a consultant, trainer and author who has facilitated hundreds of workshops and courses, and who has consulted with organizations throughout Canada, the United States, Australia, and Asia. He has published numerous articles, book chapters, and books, as well as co-authored a policy paper about narrative therapy and brief collaborative practices. www.jstinstitute.com

“This exciting, innovative book shows ways of integrating two disparate clinical practices without losing sight of their differences. Beginning and experienced therapists will appreciate the conceptual clarity and clinical guidance provided by the interesting mix of chapters. No one has to leave their skepticism behind while reading this book and few will finish it without finding significant value in the “other” way of working.”—Kaethe Weingarten, PhD, founder/director, the Witnessing Project“This book appears relevant to all psychotherapist, as well as adjunct fields connected to psychotherapy…The chapters cover a broad array of areas that are central to clinical practice and there is great effort to practical about the material”—Terry Marks-Tarlow, PhD, psychologist, private practice; former president, Gestalt Therapy Institute of Los Angeles and the Los Angeles Society of Clinical Psychologists“By combining the literary sensibility of narratively-oriented practice along with the rigor of neurological investigation, Beaudoin and Duvall have achieved a remarkable marriage of two lenses on therapy. This edited volume contains a treasure trove of material for practitioners curious about the synaptic activity accompanying conversations that make a difference.”—David Paré, PhD, full professor of counselling psychology, University of Ottawa; director, The Glebe Institute, a Centre for Constructive and Collaborative Practice; author, Collaborative Practice in Counseling and Psychotherapy“I love neuroscience and I love collaborative practices. For a long time, I felt torn, as if these were two branches of my family that did not talk to each other, and I was being disloyal to one of them by my interest in the other. Marie-Nathalie Beaudoin, Jim Duvall, and their bright team of contributors has created a bridge that allows neuroscience and collaborative therapy to enter into a fruitful dialogue. I am very grateful for their innovative work, which enriches both fields and creates exciting possibilities for therapy and beyond.”—Margarita Tarragona, PhD, Grupo Campos Elíseos & PositivaMente, Mexico City“This book is an essential resource. While we intuitively know the connection between collaborative therapy and neurobiology, this text offers a roadmap for therapists working with individuals, couples, and families within a clinical setting.”—Peter D. Bradley, PhD, Cross Timbers Family Therapy, pllc; Northcentral University

• Foreword Gene Combs List of Contributors Acknowledgements Introduction: Merging Soft and Hard Sciences 1. Energizing Clinical Practices with Intriguing and Cutting Edge Ideas 1. Pivotal Moments, Therapeutic Conversations, and Neurobiology: Landscapes of Resonance, Possibility, and Purpose Jim Duvall and Robert Maclennan 2. Helping Clients Thrive with Positive Emotions: Increasing People’s Repertoire of Problem Counter-States Marie-Nathalie Beaudoin 3. From Implicit Experience to Explicit Stories 4. Supporting Young Children Visited by Big Emotions: Mindfulness, Emotion Regulation and Neurobiology Sara Marlowe 5. Insights on Positive Change: An Exploration of the Link between Drama Therapy and Neural Networks 6. Tapping into the Power of the Brain-Heart-Gut Axis: Addressing Embodied Aspects of Intense Emotions such as Anxiety Marie-Nathalie Beaudoin 7. Narrative Neurotherapy (NNT): Scaffolding Identity States Jan Ewing, Ron Estes, and Brandon Like II. Research, Questions, and Theoretical Dilemmas Which Can Inform Clinical Practices 8. Single Session Therapy and Neuroscience: Scaffolding and Social Engagement Karen Young, Jim Hibel, Jaime Tartar, and Mercedes Fernandez 9. Neuroscience discourse and collaborative therapies? Tom Strong Index