We All Have Three Brains: Strong emotions are a signal of unresolved feelings from the past. Neuro Emotional Technique may help, says Dr. Shelley Nash.

At times, we may find ourselves “acting like a 5-year-old” or otherwise having a childish temper tantrum, and that may not sit well with friends, family members or coworkers. Strong emotions are a signal that there are unresolved feelings from the past being stirred up. If the problem seems to be confusing, that might be because few people realize that each of us retains not just one brain inside our cranium, but three.

The first brain is the reptilian brain. It mostly controls the unconscious functioning and instinctive responses of the body such as sex drive, breathing, hunger and heart rate. The second brain is the limbic, or mammalian brain, and includes the hypothalamus and pituitary gland. It controls emotions, sexuality and pleasure and mostly governs our subconscious body functions. It is timeless; there is no perception of today, tomorrow or yesterday. The third brain is the neocortex. It enables our conscious awareness and the cognitive processes we associate with thinking and learning.

Our brain is a like a computer; we come into life with some basic programs installed, and then add to them as we have experiences throughout life. Every experience has a neurological pattern associated with it. Some of those patterns serve us well, while others keep us stuck in the past or have an undesirable result.

We all experience highs and lows and sometimes feel our emotions strongly. If we are in a weakened state due to physical trauma, chronic stress or poor nutrition, our emotions may not resolve naturally. Sometimes these emotions can get “stuck” and cause actual physical pain. Then we may notice that later in life when we experience a similar event, the old emotional pattern kicks in, almost as if we were experiencing that younger age again.

In the present, it is hard to see how past events are related. Neuro Emotional Technique (NET) can help identify unresolved (real or imagined) events and help the body release their emotional charge. The goal of a certified NET practitioner is to find these negatively charged emotions stored in the body and release them, restoring health and the body-mind connection. Afterward, we will soon begin to respond to stress in healthier, more positive ways.

Shelley Nash, DC, owner of Create Wellness Chiropractic, in Scottsdale, can be reached at 480-466-2262 or DrShelleyNash.com.