Introduction toNeuroscience for Coaches

NS4C Modules

Top 10 Applications of Neuroscience for Coaches

1. Empower clients with brain awareness: Hand Brain Model 2. Create a brain fit for purpose: Clarify, Design, Shape Model3. Healthy, supportive, resilient: The Brain Care Package4. Raise awareness of Threat & Reward Responses5. Cultivate Trust6. Explore client’s Connectivity7. Find Flow8. Hot or Cold Network activation9. Nudge generously10. Intentionally Direct Attention

Neuroplasticity

Brain Basics

! Famously!known!as!the!‘stress!hormone’!because!it!is!released!in!response!to!stress.!

! Involved!in!how!we!think!and!behave!and!our!feelings!of!motivation,!reward!and!attention.!

! Involved!in!social!behavior,!increasing!trust,!decreasing!fear,!increasing!generosity!and!also!

cognitive!functions.!

! Best&known!for!its!role!in!the!fight&or!flight!response.!

! Important!for!mood!regulation,!appetite,!sleep,!memory!and!learning.!

Prefrontal Cortex

Hypothalamus

Amygdala

Prefrontal Basal Ganglia

! Affectionately!thought!of!as!the!CEO!of!conductor!of!the!brain!responsible!for!a!lot!of!higher8level!cognitive!functions,!including!attention!and!processing.!

! Key!to!storing!routines,!repetitive!behaviors!and!thoughts!–!the!home!of!habits.!

! Known!for!being!part!of!the!limbic!system!that!is!heavily!involved!in!regulating!our!emotional!life.!

! Responsible!for!various!metabolic!processes!and!synthesizing!and!secreting!neurohormones.!

Insular Cortex Anterior Cingulate Cortex

Hippocampus Striatum & Nucleus Accumbens

! Involved!in!pleasure,!reward,!motivation,!reinforcement!learning,!fear!and!impulsivity.!

! Enables!us!a!degree!of!awareness!and!is!involved!in!our!ability!to!be!‘in!tune’!with!ourselves.!

! Primarily!responsible!for!conflict!or!error!detection.!

! Has!roles!in!the!consolidation!of!information!from!short1!to!long1term!memory.!

Softness

Threat Response

• Unfairness

• Lack of control

• Confidence being challenged

• Uncertainty

What activates the Threat Response?

Threat response

• Decreased immunity• Impairs learning• Affects memory

Cortisol release

Impairs: • Creative insight• Analytic thinking• Problem solving

Amygdala -> ACC -> Frontal lobes

Decreased efficiency, effectiveness, productivity

Uses up Oxygen & Glucose

Decreases working memory capacity

Reward ResponseWhat activates the Reward Response?

• Celebration

• Control

• Confidence

• Certainty

• Contribution

• Connection

Reward response

Engagement •Do difficult things• Take risks• Think deeply

Dopamine release

Links to positive emotions:

• Happiness• Joy• Desire

VTA + NA + Reward network

Focus, attention, reinforcing behaviour, increase productivity

Perceive more options when problem

solving

Reward ResponseWhy is it brilliant?

• Reinforces behaviour • Increases absorption

• Increases processing capacity

• Helps memories form

Threat vs Reward

Neuroscience of Flow

Needed for flow: 1. Intensely focused attention2. Clear goals3. Immediate feedback4. Challenge / skills ratio5. Sense of control6. Rich environment

•An intense and focused concentration on the present moment

•The merging of actions and awareness

•A loss of reflective self-consciousness

•A sense of personal control over the situation

•Temporal distortion (normally time slowing down)

•The experience is intrinsically rewarding.

Neuroscience of Flow

Rapid attentional set shifting

DopamineCognitive efficiency, creativity

MindfulnessNeuroplasticity

Hypnosis

Neuroscience of Flow

Neuroscience of Trust

Oxytocin

Lactating letdown reflexUterine contraction

Wound healingAutism

Feeling contentReduce anxiety

Feeling calmFeeling secure

Increasing trustDecreasing fear

Increase generosity

• Involved in Trust

• Involved in Connection

• Increases generosity

• Reduces cortisol levels & anxiety

• Improves team-work

• Increases ability to infer emotional state of others

• Feels more calm, content, secure

Oxytocin

• Laugh

• Find opportunities to Contribute

• Have a walking meeting

• Listening to calming music

• Invest in social interaction time

• Physical contact (Hug, handshake, massage)Verbal massage

• Give people your full attention (and be empathetic)• Metta meditation• Demonstrate trust (feeling trusted makes us more

trustworthy)

Oxytocin

TRUST model

TruthReliabilityUnderstandShowTransparency

Productivity

Decision Making

The somatic marker hypothesis proposes that decision-making is a process that depends on emotion and that both the amygdala and the orbitofrontal cortex are parts of a neural circuit critical for judgment and decision making.

Brain Care Package

Two Cognitive Systems

Automatic Reflective

Uncontrolled Controlled

Effortless Effortful

Associative Deductive

Fast Slow

Unconscious Self-aware

Skilled Rule-following

System 1Hot

System AEmotional

System 2Cold

System BDeliberative

Behaviour Change

Where’s the Point?

Where’s the Point?