Feel Better Faster with Emotional Brain Training (EBT)
Stress has become a common problem in today’s world, heavily affecting our mental and physical health. It’s not just a feeling—it’s contributing to serious issues like rising rates of suicides and drug overdoses. For example, a New York Times report revealed that the death rate for young non-Hispanic white individuals increased fivefold between 1999 and 2014, showing the deep impact stress can have.
But there’s hope. Advancements in neuroscience are now guiding us toward more effective ways to manage stress.
Understanding the Impact of Stress
Stress leaves an imprint on your brain in the form of “circuits.” These circuits are created from the way we internalize the world around us, especially during negative experiences like loss or upset. Over time, these emotional circuits become deeply ingrained and influence how we automatically respond to situations.
For instance, facing rejection may set up a circuit tied to feelings of shame, while using food as a coping mechanism during stress can pave the way toward patterns of overeating. These circuits, once formed, can control how we react for years—and they often lead to more stress.
The good news? These circuits aren’t permanent. Neuroscience has shown that they can be changed. With the right tools, you can rewire them and free yourself from their grip.
Neuroscience: Rewiring Stress Responses
We may not be able to control external factors like fast-paced living or information overload, but we can change how our brains respond to these stressors. Emotional Brain Training (EBT) focuses on retraining your brain’s wiring at its core. Unlike traditional techniques such as exercising, meditating, or sleeping better, EBT works on rewiring the fundamental circuits behind stress-related behaviors like anxiety, emotional eating, or avoidance.
How Emotional Brain Training Works
Neuroscience tells us that our brain circuits fall into two categories—those that guide us back to peace and well-being and those that trap us in negative cycles of thoughts and behaviors.
Picture this scenario: Anna and Megan are walking to a café. A truck swerves close to them, creating a stressful situation. Anna’s brain activates a helpful circuit—she feels momentarily alert but soon calms down and carries on without much stress. Megan, on the other hand, triggers an unhelpful circuit—she feels panic, anger, and finds it hard to move past the stressful event.
This difference shows how stress circuits shape our reactions.
Simple Tools to Spiral Up and Feel Better
What if both Anna and Megan had tools to handle stress in the moment? Research at New York University shows that stressful moments are opportunities to identify and change these ineffective circuits.
Through EBT, Anna could invite Megan to try a tool with her—a process that might involve expressing emotions like fear or anger before moving on to feelings like gratitude or security. This simple practice not only helps release immediate stress but also rewires their brains, making them more resilient.
The Power to Spiral Up
Life throws stress at us every day. By integrating EBT into your routine, you can create a boundary between external triggers and how you respond to them. These tools can be practiced alone, with family, or as part of online EBT communities. Over time, these techniques nurture feelings of gratitude, peace, love, and hope, helping you handle future stress more effectively.
Conclusion
Through Emotional Brain Training, we gain the ability to reshape how we respond to stress. With regular practice, EBT offers the tools to rewire our brains, reduce stress, and create more resilient emotional patterns.
At Willing Ways, we guide individuals on this path to lasting change. With EBT, you can take control of stress and unlock a healthier, more balanced way of living.