“That’s right!  My amygdala has been hijacked!”

April 9, 2020

Warm greetings, 

One of my favorite school counselor stories:  A teacher called me for support, as a student was chucking books, chairs - basically anything he could get his hands on.  I opened the door to a class of wide-eyed kids staring at me. The student chucking materials around the room looked at me and said, “That’s right!  My amygdala has been hijacked! Let’s go,” and he left with me. The class burst into laughter, as we had just had our lesson on the function of the amygdala, prefrontal cortex & hippocampus.  

As the student & I walked to my room, I was in disbelief he softened so quickly.  Could it be that all he needed was information to have a quick recovery? I didn’t need any more research; I witnessed the power of knowledge.  In the past, the student would have needed other adults to physically manage him. That day, he needed only a reminder of me standing in the doorway.      

This week’s lesson on the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous system is incredibly useful to anyone who wishes to understand his or her emotions.  I also think it is useful in demystifying our “come aparts” and mitigating the shame that so often follows. Regret can be useful, as it allows us to learn, whereas shame just sinks us into a non-learning-shame repeatable pattern.  

I think the goal is to first have an understanding of these two systems.  Next, be aware after the emotional outburst that we were in our parasympathetic nervous system (or that we are having an amygdala hijack).  The final step is to recognize when an emotional outburst is on the edge and take a breath.  The gap creates an opportunity for choice to happen.  Nothing worse than feeling the victim.    

Lastly, don’t you love the Keefe kid picture?!  I think we’ll need more Keefe kid appearances! Fun fact, Mom Keefe was my kids’ babysitter.  

Peace and wellness,

Kelley