Assoc. Prof. Dr. Thomas Field from Oregon State University, the 'Guest of Honor' at the 7th International Positive Psychology Congress, organized this year by Üsküdar University with the theme 'Neuroscience-Based Positive Psychology,' discussed the topic 'A Brief Introduction to Neuroscience-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.'
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Thomas Field, drawing attention to the transformative power of concepts like self-compassion, self-love, and self-acceptance in human psychology, stated, 'When we approach ourselves with more compassion and acceptance, our stress coping skills also increase. Perceiving situations only as threats and suppressing emotions can lead to feelings like helplessness and burnout.'
The 7th International Positive Psychology Congress, organized this year by Üsküdar University in partnership with Üsküdar Üniversitesi NPİSTANBUL Hastanesi, NP Etiler and NP Feneryolu Medical Center, the Turkish Psychological Counseling and Guidance Association, and the Positive Psychology Institute, hosted world-renowned experts working in this field.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Thomas Field: 'Self-compassion and self-acceptance improve quality of life'
The theme of this year's two-day congress was determined as 'Neuroscience-Based Positive Psychology.' Assoc. Prof. Dr. Thomas Field from Oregon State University, the 'Guest of Honor' at the congress, presented online on 'A Brief Introduction to Neuroscience-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.'
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Thomas Field, addressing the neuroscientific foundations of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) from a positive psychology perspective, drew attention to the transformative power of concepts such as self-compassion, self-love, and self-acceptance in human psychology, and stated, 'Self-compassion and self-acceptance improve the quality of life.'
In his presentation, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Thomas Field explained how information is processed in the brain and body from a neuroscientific perspective, illustrating with examples how this process can align with positive psychology. Touching upon the fundamental building blocks of cognitive behavioral therapy, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Thomas Field emphasized that a person's beliefs developed about how they perceive environmental stress or difficulties directly affect their emotional reactions and behaviors.
'Positive or negative beliefs determine the meaning a person assigns to events and the behaviors they develop in response. This can lead to consequences ranging from anger, shame, or addiction,' said Assoc. Prof. Dr. Thomas Field, noting that traditional CBT focuses on conscious and rational thought, with the prefrontal cortex playing an active role in this process. He added, 'The goal in cognitive therapy is for the individual to question their thoughts about the situation and change them if necessary.'
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Thomas Field: 'Humans have control over their emotional responses'
US neuroscientist Assoc. Prof. Dr. Thomas Field emphasized the neuroscientific foundations of emotional regulation, highlighting that individuals have full control over their emotional responses to events they experience.
'Imagine you learn you are about to lose your job. In this situation, you determine how you will feel and how you will react,' said Assoc. Prof. Dr. Thomas Field, indicating that an individual can only be held responsible for their own reactions.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Thomas Field, explaining that when faced with a stressful situation, the brain first perceives the threat, said, 'Neuroscience-based CBT enables individuals to recognize their automatic responses and core beliefs, thus allowing them to develop healthier coping mechanisms.'
Automatic responses occur in the brain's lower structures
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Thomas Field stated that individuals' responses in stressful situations are shaped not only by conscious thought processes but also by the automatic functioning of the brain, and continued:
'The neuroscience-based cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) model reveals that a person's emotional and physical reactions often develop beyond their level of awareness. In verbal arguments with a family member, a person may struggle to express their thoughts clearly. This situation is related to the rapid activation of the brain's defense systems. It's like a car suddenly stopping 10 meters in front of us. We immediately hit the brakes, but we don't think about why we reacted that way. Such automatic responses occur in the brain's lower structures. However, there's an important point here; since we give these reactions without thinking, it wouldn't be fair to hold the person responsible for what they feel. This is because the brain activates an automatic survival mechanism. Especially in therapies with children, the 'think first, then act' approach may not be possible for some children.'
Awareness stage and top-down brain process
Noting that in the neuroscience-based CBT model, during the awareness stage, the individual feels an activation in their body, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Thomas Field stated, 'Heart rate accelerates, and emotions like fear or anger emerge. These bodily reactions are shaped by a top-down brain process, by thoughts. For example, a thought like 'I should be more careful because I encounter so many bad drivers' in traffic provides both relief and leads to positive outcomes. Otherwise, a cycle that could result in more anger and stress might be entered.'
Compassion and acceptance can reduce stress
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Thomas Field stated, 'When we approach ourselves with more compassion and acceptance, our stress coping skills also increase.' He added, 'Perceiving situations only as threats and suppressing emotions can lead to feelings like helplessness and burnout.'
Awareness is developed with a neuroscience-based BTR approach
Explaining that the neuroscience-based Body-Emotion-Response (BTR) approach in psychological support processes contributes to clients' ability to cope with anxiety by increasing their bodily awareness, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Thomas Field pointed out that not only bodily reactions but also the thoughts accompanying these reactions need to be restructured. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Thomas Field concluded by saying, 'When we do not take good care of our bodies, the unmet basic needs such as sleep, nutrition, and exercise can make emotional regulation difficult.'