\n<\/span><\/p>\n
Guest Blogger \u2013 Psychological Services, Tulsa, Oklahoma<\/span><\/p>\n People have at least three distinct levels of anatomy and function inside their heads. The top layer, less than a quarter of an inch thick, is the \u201chuman brain,\u201d also called the cerebral cortex<\/b>. This is the part of your The second level of your brain, which takes up most of the space in your head, is the Limbic System<\/b>. All mammals have similar limbic systems and they work the same way and do the same functions in cats, dogs, cows, and people. You can think of it as your \u201cdog brain.\u201d Your dog brain has a limited understanding of language. Although it can\u2019t talk or understand reason, it can respond and react to language as a type of signaling. Research suggests that most dogs can recognize up to about 200 words.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Two other really important things happen in the limbic system \u2013 memory formation and emotions. Sensations are sorted into memory by the hippocampus<\/b>. Emotion is generated in the limbic system and intense emotion is triggered by a structure in the limbic system called the amygdala<\/b>. These two limbic structures are similar in form and function in all mammals.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The third level of your brain is the brain stem<\/b>. Humans, dogs, birds, and lizards all have a similar brain stem. You can think of it as your \u201creptile brain.\u201d This is the part of your brain that maintains your body temperature, influences heart rate and respiration, and registers sensations, including proprioception. Although it is responsible for your state of consciousness (awake or asleep), it has no sense of self. it has no emotion, and it has no understanding of language.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Emotions<\/b> are generated in your limbic system (dog brain) and are always entangled with sensations<\/b> from your brain stem (reptile brain). For instance, anger<\/b> is linked to activation of the amygdala and commonly associated sensations<\/b> might include muscle tension in the jaw, increased heart rate and respiration, and a loss of peripheral vision.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The first strategy for managing emotions is \u201ctop down.\u201d You use your rational human brain to reason with your emotional dog brain \u2013 this strategy will work up to a point, especially if the emotion is not very intense. Everyone naturally tries it first and often keeps using it long after it\u2019s clear that it\u2019s not working. At even moderate levels of emotional activation, trying to talk yourself down with logic is like trying to reason with a child or an intoxicated adult. The \u201cdog\u201d might hear the words but will not care about the message.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The second strategy is a two step, \u201cbottom up\u201d approach using your human brain<\/b> as a coach to help your reptile brain<\/b> calm down. Step one is just passively and curiously noticing the sensations associated with your emotion. Step two is modifying your physiology by consciously controlling your respiration and muscle tension. As you pay mindful attention<\/b> to your sensations while modulating your breathing<\/b>, the sensations and corresponding emotion will begin to evaporate. This is the \u201cgo to\u201d strategy when you need to calm down and you notice that reasoning with yourself isn\u2019t working.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Blog Administrator: Gary S. Aumiller, Ph.D. ABPP<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n Please share this article from down below.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n Please join the email list on the top of the sidebar and you can get these sent to your email.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n Come back regularly for more updated blogs on police psychology<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n<\/body>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Police Psychology | Appreciate the Limits of Your Cerebral Cortex When It Comes to Managing your Emotions by Doug Gentz, Ph.D Guest Blogger \u2013 Psychological Services, Tulsa, Oklahoma People have at least three distinct levels of anatomy and function inside their heads. The top layer, less than a quarter of an inch thick, is the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[17165629],"tags":[17168901,17168900,17168831],"class_list":["post-1367","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-emotions","tag-brain","tag-police-psycholoy","tag-police-stress"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":7013,"url":"http:\/\/policepsychologyblog.com\/?p=7013","url_meta":{"origin":1367,"position":0},"title":"Police Psychology: The Police Brain","author":"Gary Aumiller","date":"March 2, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Police Psychology:\u00a0 The Police Brain by Gary S. Aumiller. Ph.D.\u00a0 ABPP \u00a0 What if in the hiring process for police officers you could pick someone resistant to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, have the best ability to function under pressure, make good quick decisions with better accuracy than normal people, and\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Public Information Bureau"","block_context":{"text":"Public Information Bureau","link":"http:\/\/policepsychologyblog.com\/?cat=17168888"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/policepsychologyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/Stroop-effect-3-300x19.png?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":778,"url":"http:\/\/policepsychologyblog.com\/?p=778","url_meta":{"origin":1367,"position":1},"title":"Police Psychology |Memories, May Be Beautiful, but then\u2026Wait! What was I Singing!","author":"Gary Aumiller","date":"October 14, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Police Psychology | Memories, May Be Beautiful, but then\u2026Wait! What was I Singing! \u00a0 We are servicing an aging police population and thus police psychology has to consider topics that escape younger people. 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At some point, an officer may have an\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Mastering Resilience"","block_context":{"text":"Mastering Resilience","link":"http:\/\/policepsychologyblog.com\/?cat=17168882"},"img":{"alt_text":"07Critical Incident","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/policepsychologyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/05\/Critical-Incident-RR-300x191.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":471,"url":"http:\/\/policepsychologyblog.com\/?p=471","url_meta":{"origin":1367,"position":3},"title":"Police Psychology | Can’t Take My Mind Off of You","author":"Gary Aumiller","date":"July 18, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Police Psychology | Can't Take My Mind Off of You \u00a0 Police psychology deals with a lot of obsession. Police stress can also be the result of obsession. I am big on obsession (can't you tell?). I see obsession everywhere (anger, depression, love, hate, writing a blog). In fact, you\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Mastering Thoughts"","block_context":{"text":"Mastering Thoughts","link":"http:\/\/policepsychologyblog.com\/?cat=17168878"},"img":{"alt_text":"man thinking in different directions","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/policepsychologyblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/man-thinking-in-different-directions-300x300.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":4694,"url":"http:\/\/policepsychologyblog.com\/?p=4694","url_meta":{"origin":1367,"position":4},"title":"Police Psychology | Brain Eaters","author":"Gary Aumiller","date":"November 15, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Police Psychology | Brain Eaters By Gary S. Aumiller, Ph.D.\u00a0 ABPP In Telugu language, the second most popular language in India, they have a phrase that is highly important in police psychology \u2013 burra tinoddu. 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brain that is responsible for all your higher functions \u2013 conscious thought, logical reasoning, and narrative language. It makes it possible for you to consider the past and plan the future. This type of brain structure and function is found only in humans.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n