What is IPNB, and how can it help me?

Interpersonal Neurobiology (IPNB) is a therapy approach that helps you understand how your brain, body, and relationships all work together—and how past trauma can throw that system out of balance.

If you've had painful experiences that still affect how you feel, react, or connect with others, IPNB offers a way to rewire your brain for healing. It combines science (like how the nervous system works) with emotional healing and relationship patterns to help you feel more balanced, connected, and resilient.

This approach is especially useful if you:

• Struggle with emotional ups and downs

• Get easily overwhelmed or shut down

• Have a hard time feeling safe or connected in relationships

• Want to better understand how trauma affects your mind and body

What is the "Living Legacy of Trauma"?

This phrase refers to how trauma doesn't just live in the past—it can live on in your nervous system, your emotions, and your relationships. You might find yourself reacting strongly to things that don’t seem like a big deal—or shutting down completely when you get overwhelmed. Therapy based on this model helps you heal those lingering effects by working gently with the nervous system, the body, and relationship patterns.

What happens in sessions?

Your therapist may guide you to:

• Understand your “window of tolerance,” which is the zone where your nervous system feels safe and calm. You’ll learn how to recognize when you’re getting too anxious (hyperaroused) or shutting down (hypoaroused), and practice grounding tools—like deep breathing or focusing on your senses—to bring yourself back to balance.

• Reflect on your relationships, past and present. You might explore how earlier experiences (especially in childhood) shaped your attachment style—how you connect, trust, and protect yourself in close relationships. Your therapist helps you build healthier connection patterns and repair old wounds that may still influence how you relate to others.

• Use mindfulness and body-awareness techniques to reconnect with yourself in a safe and steady way. These help promote emotional regulation and strengthen your brain’s ability to process experiences without overwhelm.

IPNB helps you heal by understanding how your brain and relationships have been shaped by trauma—and how they can be re-shaped for resilience and connection. It teaches you how to stay within your emotional comfort zone, improve your relationships, and feel more calm, grounded, and whole.