Interpersonal Neurobiology (IPNB) in Arvada

Finding Health Through Integration

At 70 West Counseling, we operate on a fundamental truth: We are wired to connect, and we heal in relationship. Therefore, we offer Interpersonal Neurobiology in Arvada as a powerful tool to help you rewire your brain. Unlike the specific set of steps found in CBT, Interpersonal Neurobiology (IPNB) serves as a scientific lens through which we view human development and healing.

Originally developed by Dr. Dan Siegel, this comprehensive framework combines data from neuroscience, psychology, attachment research, and complexity theory. Ultimately, it explains a simple, profound concept: Your brain, your mind, and your relationships remain inseparable.

How Does IPNB Therapy Work?

We often assume our brains finish developing by adulthood. However, IPNB proves that the brain remains plastic (changeable) throughout our entire lives. Crucially, experience changes brain structure. Specifically, emotional interactions with other people act as the most powerful experiences for shaping the neural pathways in your mind.

The Goal: Integration is Health

Furthermore, IPNB focuses on one central goal: Integration. A healthy brain operates as an integrated brain. This means different parts—the logical left side, the emotional right side, the instinctual lower brain, and the thoughtful higher brain—communicate with each other freely.

• Trauma Causes Disintegration: Trauma and chronic stress create blockages. For instance, you might feel flooded with emotion but unable to think clearly. Alternatively, you might feel hyper-logical but completely cut off from your bodily sensations.
• Therapy Fosters Integration: In Dan Siegel’s approach, the therapeutic relationship lowers defenses. As a result, these disconnected parts of your brain begin “talking” to each other again, leading to a sense of coherence, calm, and flexibility.

The Science of Safety & Neuroplasticity

IPNB roots itself in hard science regarding how the nervous system develops. We know that when a caregiver meets an infant’s distress with consistent, calm soothing, the infant’s brain builds thick neural fibers. Consequently, these fibers connect their emotional centers to their calming centers, forming the biological foundation of emotional regulation.

Unfortunately, many of us did not receive that consistent soothing, or we experienced trauma that severed those connections. Fortunately, the evidence shows that the therapeutic relationship serves as a “second chance” for neurodevelopment. By providing relational safety, therapy activates neuroplasticity, strengthening the pathways needed for resilience and connection.

Who Can Benefit from IPNB in Arvada?

Because IPNB targets the root cause of how we relate to ourselves and others, Dan Meyer uses it primarily to treat:

• Developmental & Childhood Trauma
• Attachment Wounds
• Chronic Shame & Self-Criticism
• Complex PTSD (C-PTSD)
• Relationship Cycles
• Parenting Challenges