Rewiring the Mind: The Power and Promise of Neuroplasticity
In his insightful book What Happened to You (2021), Dr. Bruce Perry explores how developmental trauma leaves a lasting imprint on both the body and the brain. Expanding on this idea, we now understand that all experience—whether nurturing or neglectful—shapes our neural architecture. From the earliest moments in the womb, the brain is already absorbing information, forming the neural pathways that will later define how we interpret and respond to the world.
Dr. Perry (2001) highlights how the first two months of life are especially critical. During this time, as a newborn is exposed to countless daily stimuli, the brain constructs vast numbers of neural connections. The more frequently a particular experience occurs, the more those pathways are reinforced. Over time, these patterns become embedded in the individual’s internal system, contributing to their core beliefs and responses. Conversely, neural pathways that are seldom used gradually diminish and disappear—a natural pruning process.
This developmental process is further shaped by the sequence in which the brain matures: first the survival brain, then the emotional brain, and finally the thinking brain. As a result, all incoming sensory information—sounds, sights, smells, touch—is first processed through the survival brain. Perry (2021) explains:
"All sensory input (physical sensations, smells, tastes, sights, sounds) is first processed in the lower areas of the brain; the lower brain gets first dibs. This means that before any new experience has a chance to be considered by the higher, 'thinking' part of the brain, the lower brain has already interpreted and responded to it. It’s matched the sensory input from the new experience against the catalog of stored memories of past experiences—before the smart part of your brain even has a chance to get involved" (p. 141).
In this way, our internal working models, largely formed in early childhood, serve as filters through which we interpret new experiences. This filtering continues into adolescence, a time when the brain undergoes significant restructuring, especially in the prefrontal cortex. If maladaptive pathways have already been deeply ingrained, they may become even more entrenched during this critical developmental window.
Yet, amidst this sobering reality, there is profound hope.
Emerging neuroscience has shown that the brain is not fixed. It is capable of remarkable change - a phenomenon known as neuroplasticity. Through repeated, consistent experiences, new neural pathways can be created and strengthened. For a child who has internalised messages of unworthiness due to early trauma or neglect, therapeutic, trauma-informed care can offer new experiences of safety, acceptance, and love. Over time, these new experiences can rewire the brain, gradually weakening the grip of the old pathways.
This is not a quick or linear process. It takes time, patience, and repetition. A helpful metaphor is that of a grassy field: if you walk the same path repeatedly, the grass is worn down, forming an easy route to follow. If you then begin forging a new path, the old one remains more accessible for a time, while the new path is still unfamiliar and overgrown. But with ongoing repetition, the new path becomes clearer, and the old one begins to fade.
Therapies such as Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy (DDP) and systemic play therapy can be powerful tools in this journey. However, the most meaningful change often happens within relationships. Safe, consistent, nurturing connections, whether with caregivers, therapists, or others, are the medium through which new neural pathways are formed.
Neuroplasticity gives us reason to hope. It means we are not bound forever by the patterns of our past. We can come to believe what we never thought possible: that we are worthy, lovable, and capable of connection. That we can learn to trust, to feel safe, and to thrive.
In essence, neuroplasticity allows us to rewrite the story our brains once told us.
Which way will it go?