Change is Possible

As a child I loved to play with plasticine and playdoh.  There was something about the smell of the products that I enjoyed – as well as the opportunity to shape and manipulate the materials into my own sculptures.  As I teenager, I progressed onto air drying clay for my creative endeavours as well as FIMO – a modelling clay that could be baked in the oven.  And I consider myself very lucky to have attended a comprehensive school where our enlightened art teacher offered us a term’s worth of “ceramics” – where we got to work with clay, all in the name of art!  What each of these materials shared was their malleability.  I could remodel and reshape my creations as many times as I liked as long as the material remained pliable.  If I didn’t get it “right” first time, I could squash my creation back into a ball of clay and then remake my design.   Each of these materials offered “plasticity” – the chance to change and hone my design because they could be easily moulded. 

Neuroplasticity

These memories of reshaping and remodelling help me to understand an important principle about our brains.  Like playdoh, our brain is mouldable – neuroscientists call this “neuroplasticity” – and this phrase refers to the human brain’s capacity to adapt and change.  I find this idea extremely helpful and hopeful when working with people who feel stuck and burdened by how they feel and think about themselves.  Many people have experienced hardship and suffering in the past and can fall into a pattern of believing things will always be the same.  Such a mindset can feel overwhelming, and might mean we think or say things   like:

·       “I am a failure and that’s that”.

·       “There’s something wrong with me”.

·       “No-one will ever like me”.

·       “My past means I don’t deserve a better future.” 

Yet, how we see and think about ourselves right now need not be permanent.  Change is possible.  Neuroplasticity is the brain’s mechanism that means such change is possible.  This capacity to change is a central concept at the heart of counselling and psychotherapy.  

Creating new ways of thinking about yourself

I like to use the metaphor of a Land Rover driving through a muddy field to help explain neuroplasticity.  If the Land Rover takes the same path through the muddy field each day, it begins to form tracks that become deeper and more entrenched with each trip.  These muddy tracks can be compared to the “neural pathways” in our brain – the connections between neurons within our brain that send signals from one part of the brain to another.  The deeper the groove, the easier it is to take that given path through the field.  In the same way, neural pathways in our brain are reinforced if we continue to experience the same thought patterns.  Someone experiencing depression may be more inclined to dwell on negative emotions, for example, which means the neural pathways supporting such rumination are strengthened as a result – making it more difficult - and feel perhaps impossible - to “steer” another course through our thinking.  But – if we think about the metaphorical Land Rover - it is often possible to steer your Land Rover a different route through the field.  Not necessarily easy, and perhaps requiring a lot of support – but possible!  In doing so, you begin to create new paths and new directions.  Over time, the Land Rover is no longer stuck in the ruts of the previous tracks.   The field begins to change. 

The Land Rover in the muddy field metaphor reminds us that, as we are exposed to different ways of thinking or experiencing the world, our brain can develop new neural pathways.  We can change our internal field, our inner landscape and begin to think and see things differently.  In this way, our brain changes.  This is neuroplasticity in action – we can mould and shape our brain because of our experiences and the ways we think about and relate to the world.  Therapy is one way to begin to think differently about yourself and how you relate to yourself and your world.  Therapy offers a chance to steer a different route with the support of your counsellor – thankfully you don’t have to navigate the field alone. 

Novelty supports neuroplasticity:

Novelty has been shown to support neuroplasticity. New learning opportunities and cognitive challenges can enhance cognitive function and develop neural pathways in our brain (Houillon et al., 2013).  A new environment or situation, or learning a new skill, for example can help you to develop new neural connections, “growing” your brain in the process.  Learning a new language or going on holiday to somewhere you’ve never been before and exploring the sights and sounds offers opportunity for your brain to change and adapt as new neural pathways are formed in response to these new experiences.  Learning about yourself and what matters to you in counselling also provides a chance for novelty.  Just as our hands shape plasticine, therapy can be a space for you to shape how you think and feel about yourself.  If you’ve never experienced counselling before, it may be somewhat daunting - but as something new and different, it’s also likely to support neuroplasticity.  

We can grow, change and adapt

Children’s brains are extremely malleable!  Spend time observing how quickly young children grasp new skills and you can see neuroplasticity in action.  One day your infant can’t move beyond their playmat, and the next day you need to ensure fragile objects are well out of reach!  But it is not only babies and children who benefit from neuroplasticity.  We know that – whilst the rate of plasticity slows as we age - our brain’s plasticity continues throughout the life span.  We can grow, change, and adapt – because our brain is capable of such change.  Take the example of the various “brain training” apps aimed at older adults.  These apps are based on research showing the positive impact of cognitive training for older adults (Park & Bischof, 2013).  No matter our age, change is possible.  And that includes the possibility of changing what we believe about ourselves.  If you’ve spent a lifetime struggling with poor self-esteem or find yourself believing that you’re worthless – neuroplasticity reminds us that it is possible to change how you see and what you believe about yourself, no matter your age.  

Counselling helps to change and mould how you see yourself

So, neuroplasticity gives me hope!  Nothing is static, and difficulties in the past or present need not define our future.  Just as I once enjoyed (still do, actually!) playing with plasticine and modelling clay – I now regard myself as very fortunate to be able to accompany people on their own neuroplasticity journeys.  As I work with people here at my Preston counselling practice, or when offering online therapy, I get the chance to witness firsthand to how counselling helps to change and mould the ways a person thinks and feels about themselves.  I wonder what change, remodelling and reshaping might look like for you?  And to what extent do you share my hope that change is possible? I’d welcome you getting in touch to explore any questions you might have about starting online or face-to-face counselling in Preston, Lancashire.  

 References:

·       Houillon A., Lorenz R. C., Boehmer W., Rapp M. A., Heinz A., Gallinat J., et al. (2013). The effect of novelty on reinforcement learning. Prog. Brain Res. 202 415–439. 

·       Park DC, Bischof GN. The aging mind: neuroplasticity in response to cognitive training. Dialogues Clin Neurosci. 2013 Mar;15(1):109-19.