Here's a staggering statistic that should make everyone take pause:

• People with poor social support are 340% more likely to have a premature death.

Let that sink in for a moment. Maybe read it one more time, because it's a wild to think it's such a high percentage.

The nervous systems of mammals are innately wired to connect and when these vital connections weaken, the neural pathways of the brain deteriorate, causing wide-ranging mental and physical problems. The human ability to cope with the stresses and struggles of regular life overwhelms the whole brain/body system and many disorders and diseases of connection are the result, such as anxiety, depression, social phobias, PTSD, immune disorders, heart and bowel issues, and many others.

The good news is the brain can adjust, once the right changes are made.

Using advances in brain scanning and the study of the neuroscience of relationships, Amy Banks MD found that strengthening four specific neural pathways can greatly remedy these issues. She developed the C.A.R.E. Program which helps people make a careful assessment of their relational lives, create better connections, re-image the idea of boundaries, and make their neural pathways more robust for much healthier physical and mental lives that have a great capacity to lead to longer lifespans. Today, we talk about her work and her book about these issues called "Wired to Connect: The Surprising Link Between Brain Science and Strong, Healthy Relationships".

This episode is so very useful and contains many insights, so I hope you really enjoy it but also share it with others! The Show Notes are very valuable and also include links to Dr Banks website, tools, and free relational assessment you can use to improve your health and well being. Jump in on those here https://www.patreon.com/posts/10669808 (and you will also get an Access Pass to lots of extras and Show Notes to past episodes when you chip in $1). https://patreon.com/sparkmymuse is the general link.

Thanks for listening. May you create deeper and richer connections.
You can also reach out to me on Twitter: @lisadelay