What Freud Didn't Know: A Three-Step Practice for Emotional Well-Being Through Neuroscience and Psychology

Though Freudian therapy has, in general, been superseded by modern psychotherapy methods, practicing clinical psychologist Stokes (former editor-in chief of the Naropa Journal of Contemplative Psychotherapy) shows how Freud, over a century ago, ingeniously anticipated modern neurobiological discoveries. Freud's attribution of psychological problems to the ""internal struggles"" among the id, ego, and super-ego is roughly analogous to modern understanding of ""the functions of three regions of the brain: the neocortical regions, the prefrontal cortex regions, and the limbic system."" Recent findings by neurobiologists show that the limbic system (where the amygdala is located) ""exerts a powerful role in the emotional life of humans"" by regulating automatic responses to perceived danger; the release of hormones provokes a physical response perceived as emotion. Building on the concepts of cognitive therapy, which teaches clients to identify and replace dysfunctional thoughts, Stokes developed a three-step method to help people becomes aware of what he calls the amygdala ""scripts"" that normally operate unconsciously: step one is recognition of a conditioned response, step two identifies the trigger, and step three involves conscious reconditioning through insight. With three appendices, this makes a useful self-help manual for clients and clinicians.