July 1, 2012 / by Michael Wayne Regier Ph.D. / Relational Excellence Articles
Emotional attunement may be the most important foundation for helping couples overcome obstacles and work together to make great achievements. In couples therapy emotional attunement refers to what John Gottman makes reference to as: awareness, tolerance, non-defensive listening, understanding, and empathy. These qualities, he argues, inspire confidence in couples, and the sense that despite the […]
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Marriage Counseling – San Luis Obispo, CA
What Makes the Holidays Happy?
December 24, 2013 / by Michael Wayne Regier Ph.D. / Relational Excellence Articles
So many of us idealize the season of Christmas. Neuroscience has taught us that we are created for connection and that our brains crave hugs and warm emotional affirmations. This does indeed bring us happiness and a sense of well being. No matter how old we are we cannot help but wish for the magic […]
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Inhaling Capacity to Connect: Oxytocin, Brain and Behavior
December 20, 2013 / by Michael Wayne Regier Ph.D. / Relational Excellence Articles
New research has found a that inhaling oxytocin decreased decision making time about non-verbal social information in autism spectrum disorder patients (ASD). Oxytocin, known as the cuddle hormone, exists in higher levels in mothers with newborn children and in couples who are connected and sexually active. It is believed to be the hormone that is […]
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Building Emotional Muscle
November 4, 2013 / by Michael Wayne Regier Ph.D. / Relational Excellence Articles
When I returned to the gym two years ago it had been 30 years since I had lifted weights. Since I would never again play college football I didn’t see the point. But at age 56 when I began falling over when trying to put on my underwear I knew I needed to get with […]
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Racing for Relationships
October 15, 2013 / by Michael Wayne Regier Ph.D. / Relational Excellence Articles
Over the weekend I watched a half marathon and was amazed at the different shapes and sizes of people who crossed the finish line. The first and fastest were gazelle-like creations who seemed to have an effortless bounce in their strides, barely breaking a sweat. Then there was the middle group of older, less prepared, […]
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The Delusion of Consciousness
March 25, 2013 / by Michael Wayne Regier Ph.D. / Relational Excellence Articles
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Who Am I?
January 28, 2013 / by Michael Wayne Regier Ph.D. / Relational Excellence Articles
I woke up this morning with the lyrics of Les Miserable circulating through my brain “Who am I…to love another person is to see the face of God”. The truth of these lyrics has been haunting me. Not this morning but over and over again since my first and second experiences with the movie. Who […]
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The Genetics and Neuroscience of Love
August 25, 2012 / by Michael Wayne Regier Ph.D. / Relational Excellence Articles
Neuroscience is on the hunt for the essence of what connects us. The evidence is now clear that we are connected with each other emotionally in deeper ways than we have been able to imagine. Louis Cozolino in the book “The Neuroscience of Human Relationships” writes: “There are no single brains…Through the biochemical alchemy of […]
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Fulfllment and Attachment
July 6, 2012 / by Michael Wayne Regier Ph.D. / Relational Excellence Articles
What happens in any relationship when one discovers a repressed part of oneself and now has a new passion for life? Such was the case for me (Michael) when I discovered the challenge and excitement of cycling. It felt great to feel my physical strength again. The college linebacker in me could now be expressed […]
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Left Behind
July 5, 2012 / by Paula / Relational Excellence Articles, Tandem Marriage
As Michael enjoyed his early days of riding solo with the guys, I did my own thing on the home front, waiting for his brief recap at the end of his adventures. His exhaustion and non-detail driven right brain only allowed for summarized recaps. The details I required were often left untold which left me […]
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The Power of Emotional Attunement
July 1, 2012 / by Michael Wayne Regier Ph.D. / Relational Excellence Articles
Emotional attunement may be the most important foundation for helping couples overcome obstacles and work together to make great achievements. In couples therapy emotional attunement refers to what John Gottman makes reference to as: awareness, tolerance, non-defensive listening, understanding, and empathy. These qualities, he argues, inspire confidence in couples, and the sense that despite the […]
Read more