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How to use this natural brain phenomenon to your advantage
Your brain can be compared to an automatic transmission. When the going gets tough (e.g., situations of trauma, crisis, or any type of fear) your brain automatically downshifts to help you get through. This is a life-saving strategy but you always give something up to get something. You can learn how to minimize what you give up. Teach yourself how to recognize when your brain is in a downshifted position and how to implement a pre-planned strategy to upshift.
SEMINAR DESCRIPTION
The mass of tissue inside your bony skull known as “the brain” really consists of several functional layers. These brain layers can be compared to gears in a vehicle. When the going gets tough the vehicle downshifts automatically to help you get through. In situations of trauma, crisis, or any type of fear, the brain downshifts in an attempt to access functions that promote safety. While this is a helpful strategy, it can be very deleterious when activated frequently or when sustained over time. The outcomes can range from failure to learn, to interfering with communication, to relapse into addictive behaviors.
This seminar is designed to increase your understanding of the downshifting phenomenon in the brain, and explains the consequences of downshifting unneccesarily or for a prolonged period of time. At work or at home, communication can be derailed if either the sender or the receiver (or both) are downshifted. (Sometimes the "difficult person" can be you!) Strategies to help you identify downshifting in a timely manner are included, along with suggestions for ways to promote upshifting and for communicating congruently with someone who is in a downshifted state.
TIME FRAME
 This seminar can be presented in one 50-minute segment with additional time for questions and discussion if desired.
TARGET AUDIENCE
People who want to learn up to upshift quickly and to communicate more easily with brains that are in a downshifting position.
SEMINAR OBJECTIVES
Upon completion of the seminar, participants should be able to:
- List the three functional layers of the brain
- State two key functions of each brain layer
- Describe what is meant by downshifting of the brain
- Identify factors that can contribute to downshifting
- State two behaviors that could indicate a state of downshifting
- Describe two behaviors that may indicate the brain is downshifted
- State the main problem with communication that is not congruent
- List two strategies for upshifting the brain
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Seminar Descriptions 
