The Neuroscience Behind Our Collective Dysregulation: Navigating Today’s Social Crisis (232)

Don’t catch the certainty virus! Collective trauma requires collective healing

We can understand our social pain by considering the nervous system, just think of it as a collective amygdala hijack! Threat is pressing us to live in an alarm state and then we get used to it, as if it’s normal to be so divided, hopeless and disdainful to those who are holding different positions in the world. We need to cultivate secure (mature) relating to move ourselves back into a social, relational place that makes us more generous, compassionate and able to work with complexity to stay engaged to solve some of these pressing world and community issues. Keep hope alive!

Ann and Sue delve into the pressing emotional and social challenges confronting our world today. They examine the impact of divisive political rhetoric, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, collective distrust, and widespread trauma on individuals and society as a whole. Emphasizing the necessity of self-awareness and accountability, they underscore the role each person plays in contributing to collective healing and regulation. Throughout their conversation, Ann and Sue stress the importance of vulnerability, genuine connection, and the pursuit of healing as essential components of addressing systemic issues and promoting relational solutions. They also tackle the complexities of polarization, advocating for open-mindedness, nuance, and empathy in navigating ideological differences and fostering constructive dialogue. Explore the transformative potential of emotions like anger and the power of connection and love in driving positive societal change.

“…if you can get your mind and your body connected and be deliberate about your actions, you’re going to bemore powerful” – Sue Marriott Time Stamps for Collective Dysregulation

1:42 – Reflecting on current events and polarization

4:40 – Sue’s bug analogy from the book

7:55 – Understanding our reactivity

10:15 – We have to go inward and look inward

15:25 – Ann’s anecdote of sitting with the discomfort

17:44 – Tools to “hang in there” and to try to stay regulated

18:46 – Explanation of the “certainty virus”

30:17 – Taking responsibility for our part

32:23 – The need for vulnerability and safety

35:15 – Cultivating safety around you

37:55 – Letting anger inform

48:34 – Holding our own individually and collectively

50:46 – Keeping hope alive

58:31 – Recognizing the signs of collectiveness and collective activation

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