GPC 126
Physiological Psychology
Emotion
Lecture #9
Dean Owen, Ph.D., LPCC
METU-NCC
Spring 2015
Lecture 5
This presentation has been created to assist in the
mastery of the material contained in Chapter 6-7
of the text
Foundations of Physiological Psychology
by
Neil R. Carlson
All of the material contained in the presentation is
drawn from the text.
Plan for the day
1. Review the physiological basis for
emotional response.
2. Review the physiological basis for stress.
3. Consider how an understanding of these
concepts can be utilized in treatment by
professional counselors.
Emotion
Primary definition:
The term EMOTION
is used to refer to a
subjective, conscious
experience that is
characterized by
psychophysiological
expressions,
biological reactions
and altered mental
states.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9XfCCT3ki0
Emotion
More commonly, emotions are
regarded as mental responses to
external environmental events
occurring in the perceptual field
or to internal imagined events
conjured by an individual from
memories, desires, or expectations.
Emotion
Conscious awareness and physiological response
are bonded into a generally functional system that
is life preserving.
Our minds and bodies respond together to the
events of the world.
Amygdala(e)
Part of the limbic system
Primary role: Processing and storage of memory
and emotional responses.
Once a threat is perceived the amygdala generates
the secretion of hormones that influence fear and
aggression.
Once fear or aggression is elicited the amygdala may
trigger the release of hormones into the body to put
the person into a state of alertness, in which they are
ready to move, run, fight, etc.
This defensive response is generally referred to in
physiology as the fight-or-flight response regulated by
the
hypothalamus.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9XfCCT3ki0
Emotion
Name the Emotion
Name the Emotion
Name the Emotion
Name the Emotion
Describe
Love
Emotion
Conscious awareness and physiological response are bonded into
a generally functional system that is life preserving.
Emotion
Schacter defines emotion as
a "positive or negative
experience that is associated
with a particular pattern of
physiological activity.
Schacter, Gilbert, Wegner. PSYCHOLOGY. Worth Publishers,
2011. p. 310.
Emotion
Integrated response patterns composed
of:
Behavior
Physiological
responses
Feelings
Emotion
Responses to the environment can be:
Innate
Learned
Emotion
Responses to the environment can be:
Innate
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p6cqNhHrMJA
Learned
Emotion
Responses to the environment can be:
Autonomic
Hormonal
Emotion
Responses to the environment can be:
Autonomic
Hormonal
Part II
The Parts and
Mechanisms
of
Imagery
Some Fundamental Definitions:
Mind-Body Connection….
Some Fundamental Definitions:
Relaxation Response
The Mind/Body Connection…..
The link between that which is perceived and a physiological response is
well documented and experienced by everyone. This is not “New Age” or
mystical at all…it is physiological and is the basis for guided imagery….
Ivan Pavlov 1849-1936
Consider Freud’s concept of Anxiety….
Objective Anxiety: Fear in response to something that can hurt you…
(Western Diamondback Rattlesnake, Royal Bengal Tiger, an armed intruder
in your home…..)
What are your
fears?
Consider Freud’s concept of Anxiety….
Objective Anxiety: Fear in response to something that can hurt you…
(Western Diamondback Rattlesnake, Royal Bengal Tiger, an armed intruder
in your home…..)
Warning
The next image may be
disturbing to individuals
with a snake phobia
Consider Freud’s concept of Anxiety….
Objective Anxiety: Fear in response to something that can hurt you…
(Western Diamondback Rattlesnake, Royal Bengal Tiger, an armed intruder
in your home…..)
Consider Freud’s concept of Anxiety….
Objective Anxiety: Fear in response to something that can hurt you…
(Western Diamondback Rattlesnake, Royal Bengal Tiger, an armed intruder
in your home…..)
Consider Freud’s concept of Anxiety….
Neurotic Anxiety: Fear in response to something that cannot hurt you…
Public speaking, rejection, humiliation, failure…….etc.
Stress as a physiological response
An event occurs in the perceptual field
This event is perceived (real or imagined) and evaluated for threat
potential in relation to the individual
If the event is perceived as threatening a series of physiological responses
are elicited which prepare the individual for fight or flight.
The adrenals are stimulated to produce adrenaline related hormones into
the bloodstream which trigger a flood of physical events including:
a. increased cardiac rate
b. elevated blood pressure (Hypertension)
c. increased respiration rate: becoming rapid and shallow
d. release of stored energy from the liver in the blood
e. pupillary dilation
f. increased sensory sensitivity
g. tensing of the muscles for movement or protective action
h. Activation of blood clotting mechanisms
I. Shutdown of the digestive system, making blood more available
to oxygenate the muscles
j. constriction of blood flow to the extremities
k. profuse diaphoresis (sweating)
Most of these symptoms are rather unpleasant feelings and it is the
awareness of these symptoms that cause us to say….”I’m
stressed!!”
Your reaction to the sight of a dangerous snake is likely to have been
similar to the trajectory depicted below…..
Consider Freud’s concept of Anxiety….
Neurotic Anxiety: Fear in response to something that cannot “hurt” you
physically….(Public speaking, social rejection, failing a math test) These
are threats to the ego…..and imagination is the delivery boy…..
Consider Freud’s concept of Anxiety….
Your reaction to such threats to the ego may be more like this trajectory…
Consider Freud’s concept of Anxiety….
The body’s response is
identical…..Whether experienced in
real time or via one’s imagination
Your reaction to the “PICTURE” of
the snake….
Your reaction to the thought of failing
a test or giving a speech….
Consider Freud’s concept of Anxiety….
Your response to an imagined event
or situation can be very deep, very
real…..and can affect your behavior.
This is something we
can put to use a bit
later on !
Most of these symptoms are rather unpleasant feelings and it is the
awareness of these symptoms that cause us to say….
”I’m stressed!!”
The Big Three
The three most common
reasons individuals seek
counseling …
Many clients will present with
one or more of the
following…..
Stress
Perceived by the
body as a threat….
Not always by the
mind….we can
deceive ourselves…
Denial !.....
Stressed…no, I’m OK
Anxiety
The sense of fear or unease
experienced in the absence of
objective danger.
Depression
Quite literally the shutting
down of the body as the
result of prolonged exposure
to threat, anxiety…..
Fatigue from prolonged
neurologic elevation……
Hans Selye defined stress in terms of
the response your body makes to any
demand on it.
Source: Selye, 1974
Its not stress that kills us, it
is our reaction to it.
Hans Selye (1974)
And our reaction to it can
be controlled, learned, and
changed.
Selye also gave us the
idea of the relaxation
response.
The relaxation response
Nearly all clients come to counseling in a state of stress
which inherently sets limits on what can be
accomplished. To reduce this stress there are two
options….
A. Treat the stress response with chemicals….
B. Teach the client to relax….relaxation
is a
physiological response that can be
taught as a skill to be mastered.
Teaching a client how to relax is the key to using
imagery effectively.
Joseph Wolpe (1915-1997)
Systematic Desensitization/Reciprocal Inhibition
One of the first techniques that used imagery for behavior change.
Three Step Process:
1. Teach the relaxation response
2. Create a hierarchy of stress provoking scenes or images….
3. Progress through the hierarchy by pairing images of anxiety
provoking stimuli with relaxation to weaken the association.
This approach is still frequently used to teach clients more effective
ways of dealing with normal fears and even phobic responses……
Some Fundamental Definitions:
Visualization
Visualization
Our thoughts, personal images, and memories tend to
be stored in our minds not as written scripts or lines of
text…..
but as vivid sensory images…usually
visual but often auditory, olfactory,
tactile, or even gustatory…….the
fragrance industry is based upon
this…and, of course, classical
conditioning……
The relaxation response
Goal: To relieve tension and to prepare for deep relaxation or guided imagery
Time: 1-2 minutes
Warm-up: Breathing is a powerful building block for relaxation. The quick breath technique can
be used any time, any place, for rapid relaxation and mental focusing.
Breath Script
Close your eyes for a couple of minutes….
The easiest body-only technique for relaxation is something you’ve been doing since your arrival
in the world….breathing. Everyone breathes, but few know how to breath for relaxation.
Stop now, and take a truly relaxing breath…
Inhale through your nose with a shallow breath…And exhale through your mouth….
Inhale slightly more deeply now….and exhale now with sound….
Inhale more deeply….and again exhale forcefully….
Inhale to capacity…..And exhale completely, emptying your lungs all of the way…
Repeat this breath cycle ten times…Or until you feel completely relaxed….
Maintaining a steady rhythm of inhalations and exhalations as you breathe……
The relaxation response
Progressive, Passive, Relaxation
(PPR)
Extended Demonstration
Spontaneous Imagery
Spontaneous Imagery
This is the naturally occurring
imagery that all of us experience…..
Ever had a fantasy???
Come on, you know you
have…..
Please share!
Spontaneous Imagery
May be
pleasant
(fantasy)
Spontaneous Imagery
May be
unpleasant
(Worry)
Spontaneous Imagery
Unlike dreaming, it is totally
under our personal control….
It is crafted by us based upon
what we know, care for, value,
expect, understand, want….etc.
Spontaneous Imagery
Is a projection of who and what
we are…..therefore…
It makes sense to teach your
client to pay attention to them.
Spontaneous Imagery:
A very natural and quite normal inner experience
usually involving imagery from one or more of
the senses. Unlike the dreams of sleep,
fantasy is completely under one’s
control.
Imagery is a
very safe
technique to
use with
clients of all
ages….
Spontaneous Imagery……
A very private, inner experience usually occurring at times of cognitive
or sensory “boredom”…like now, in this class!!
Mother Nature’s attempt at self-stimulation…to keep our nervous
systems awake and responsive…but also an excellent source of
information for and about your client
The projective hypothesis: If one presents to a client a vague and nonspecific request….the answer will be an expression of who and what
the client is, knows about, cares about, is concerned with, etc……..
Consider the Rorschach, The TAT, or the Kinetic Family Drawing
Spontaneous Imagery can become a way
of suspending reality just long enough to
get a clear view of your client’s:
Needs, Wants, Knowledge, Values,
Preferences, and Fears……plus a lot of
other stuff if you care to listen…
Would anyone care to share…..An
imagined alternative career, perhaps?
Spontaneous Imagery (Negative)
When you are anxious, stressed, or
depressed what images do you
produce…..What do you create to scare
yourself????
Spontaneous Imagery (Negative)
What things do you imagine to create fear
and anxiety for yourself each day…..?????
About yourself: Your ability, your appearance, your
worth….
Your Family, Spouse, Children….
Your job..home, security, savings….just what ????
Write them down….. And perhaps share them with us…
Spontaneous Imagery (Positive)
When you are happy,
relaxed, bored with a
long drive/flight….what
images do you
produce…..to make
yourself feel really calm
and quiet and at peace?
About Yourself
Your Family,
Your job
Write them down….and
we’ll share…
Part III
Guided
Imagery
Techniques
Guided Imagery and Visualization
Guided Imagery is a kind of directed daydreaming, a
way of using the imagination in a focused, directed
way to help mind and body heal, stay strong, and
perform without limitations.
Initially, a person is guided through progressive
relaxation to a comfortable and peaceful state. In the
process of guided imagery, a person, in a relaxed
state, visualizes a series of directed images that
create vivid and useful vicarious experiences in a
safe and controlled environment. A mental Flight
Simulator if you will……
Guided Imagery and
Visualization
Guided imagery capitalizes on the
incredible capacity of the
imagination to create and
recreate sensory images that
have a powerful impact on the
mind and body..
For counselors Fantasy and
Imagery can be a rich source of
information, power, motivation,
and energy which can be
harnessed and put to work….
Memory: images of what has
been..PTSD “Flashbacks”….
Fantasy: images of what can be….
Benefits Structured Fantasy
Guided Imagery
• It’s free
• It’s safe
• Everyone does it anyway…
• Can be used anywhere to go
anywhere and be or do
anything……
OK but what can you do with it??
Within Current Medical Practice
Cardiac Rate
Respiratory Rate
Blood Pressure
O2 consumption
Intestinal Motility
Sexual Arousal
Immune System
Blood Sugar
Perception of Pain
Remember that “Mind-Body” thing???
There is also evidence that
imagery can also enhance:
Problem solving
Coping with change/loss
Decision Making
Behavioral change
Attitude adjustment
The use of imagery need not be a
“stand alone” technique …It can
be easily integrated into many
forms therapy including:
CBT (vicarious behavioral rehearsal)
Gestalt (Unfinished Business)
Solution-Focused Brief Therapy
(Scaling& miracle questions)
Now some Stories
Assess: maturity, values, knowledge, needs, drives,
fears, etc
Teach: Go anywhere, be anything, do anything…try
anything….
Explore: new attitudes, beliefs, vocations, lifestyles,
ad infinitum
Evaluate options: vicariously experience the effects of
choices…
Relax: no duh?
Rehearse: try new and adaptive behaviors again and
again…
Four Phases of a Guided
Fantasy
Introduction
Induction
Fantasy
Processing
Four Phases of a Guided
Fantasy
I. Introduction
1. Explain the rationale and process to the client.
2. Answer any questions & deal with any
expressions of self-consciousness.
3. Select a place relatively free from extraneous
stimuli…subdued lighting and quiet
4. Ask the client to adopt a posture which will be
comfortable for 10-15 minutes.
5. Allow a few moments of quiet before beginning
6. The goal is to de-mystify the entire process…..
Four Phases of a Guided
Fantasy
II. Induction
1. This is basically just a brief relaxation exercise designed to achieve
two goals….
a. Relaxation (obviously)
b. To establish compliant imaging….
2.Vocal rate and quality are important so speak softly, slowly, and
give the client sufficient time to conjure up the images you are
creating and suggesting….a monotone voice is preferred.
3. A common technique is to utilize commercially available audio
tapes of streams, woodland and forest sounds, or surf as background
to the relaxation exercise.
Four Phases of a Guided
Fantasy
III. Fantasy
1. Select either a “stock” fantasy or create a customized one to be
used for teaching or exploration.
2. In a fantasy you can take your clients anywhere you, or they, can
imagine. You can let them do or be anything…You can impose as
much reality as you wish beginning with little or none as you explore
options. Later on you can impose a great deal more as you evaluate
tentative choices or courses of action.
3. Avoid any unnecessary cues which could upset or interrupt a
fantasy.
4. Select either an “open” or “closed” ending for the fantasy but, in
either case, allow plenty of time….don’t rush the process.
A Possible
Future
The Statue
Four Phases of a Guided
Fantasy
IV. Processing: Don’t Interpret!
1. The principle goal of this entire process is to provide a mechanism
by which a client can learn and gain insight. This is probably best
done by inviting you client to share the experience.
2. Your task and role is to enhance and make more vivid the entire
fantasy experience for the client. Please avoid the temptation to
explain or interpret the meaning of the client’s fantasy. The goal is to
get the client involved with finding meaning in these experiences
(insight) and besides, you’ll probably be wrong anyway. Nobody
knows your clients better than they.
3. A useful technique is to ask the client to write down a synopsis of
the fantasy immediately upon its completion and before too much can
be forgotten. Remember, your function is to provide the structure and
your clients provide the content.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it necessary for clients to be relaxed
before the fantasy begins?
Generally, yes. One cannot fully attend to the
experience unless there is some degree of
relaxation present. Expect your client to relax
and become more fully involved as you use this
technique more and more.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you deal with a resistant
client?
In most cases, a simple description of how normal
and natural the entire process is will cause a
client to try it with you. Listen to your client and
respect his or her concerns and never insist on
participation. In most cases clients will become
very interested after having experienced
relaxation and a few pleasant fantasy
experiences.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are there any dangers in using guided
imagery or fantasy?
In more than 30 years I can think of none…except
some clients become so relaxed that they fall
asleep during an exercise or become so involved
in the experience that they are reluctant to return
and open their eyes. Normally, a gentle reminder
to open their eyes is enough.
and finally, some more
housekeeping
Please help me return the classroom to it
original condition…..
1. Take your rubbish with you……
2. Place the student desks in their original order.
Thank you…., Gracias, Merci, Danke, teşekkür
ederim,ありがとう, Asante, gratias ago vos,
Dank u, Takk skal du ha, спасибо ……
Too many drugs??
Harika!!