Therapeutic Friendships: Neuroscience and Neurobiology

The neuroscience and neurobiology of therapeutic friendships delve into how positive social interactions and supportive relationships affect the brain and, consequently, an individual’s emotional health and behavior. These effects are grounded in the fundamental principle that human brains are social organs, designed by God to connect and interact with others. Understanding the neurobiological underpinnings of therapeutic friendships helps explain why these relationships can have profound healing and transformative effects.

Brain Structure and Function

Interactions within therapeutic friendships can lead to changes in brain structures involved in emotion regulation, stress response, and social cognition. For instance, studies have shown that supportive social relationships are associated with increased volume in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus, areas linked with emotion regulation and memory, respectively. These structural changes can enhance an individual’s ability to manage stress, reduce anxiety, and improve overall cognitive functions.

Kolb, B., Mychasiuk, R., Muhammad, A., Li, Y., Frost, D. O., & Gibb, R. (2012). Experience and the developing prefrontal cortex. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 109(supplement_2), 17186-17193.

Neurotransmitters and Hormones

Positive social interactions in therapeutic friendships can influence the levels of neurotransmitters and hormones associated with stress and wellbeing. For example, engaging in a supportive friendship can increase levels of oxytocin, often referred to as the “bonding hormone,” which promotes feelings of trust, empathy, and bonding. Additionally, such relationships can decrease levels of cortisol, the primary stress hormone, thereby reducing stress and its negative effects on the body.

Heinrichs, M., Baumgartner, T., Kirschbaum, C., & Ehlert, U. (2003). Social support and oxytocin interact to suppress cortisol and subjective responses to psychosocial stress. Biological psychiatry, 54(12), 1389-1398.

Neural Pathways for Emotion Regulation

Therapeutic friendships can help in the development and strengthening of neural pathways that are crucial for emotion regulation. Through the process of co-regulation—where friends help each other manage and understand their emotions—individuals learn to activate their parasympathetic nervous system more effectively, promoting a state of calm and reducing the fight-or-flight response triggered by the sympathetic nervous system. This learning can lead to more adaptive emotional responses over time.

Smith, T. W., Deits‐Lebehn, C., Williams, P. G., Baucom, B. R., & Uchino, B. N. (2020). Toward a social psychophysiology of vagally mediated heart rate variability: Concepts and methods in self‐regulation, emotion, and interpersonal processes. Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 14(3), e12516.

Mirror Neurons and Empathy

Mirror neurons, which activate both when an individual performs an action and when they observe the same action performed by another, play a crucial role in empathy and understanding others’ emotions. Therapeutic friendships, characterized by empathetic understanding and shared emotional experiences, engage these neurons, enhancing an individual’s capacity for empathy and social connection. This empathetic resonance facilitates deep emotional healing and understanding.

Pfeifer, J. H., & Dapretto, M. (2011). 14 “Mirror, Mirror, in My Mind”: Empathy, Interpersonal Competence, and the Mirror Neuron System. The social neuroscience of empathy, 183.

Plasticity and Healing

The brain’s plasticity, or its ability to change and adapt in response to experiences, is central to the neurobiological impact of therapeutic friendships. Positive, supportive interactions can lead to adaptive changes in neural circuits involved in processing social cues, emotional information, and stress responses. These changes can contribute to healing from past relational traumas, as the brain reorganizes itself in response to new, positive relational experiences.

SOLOMON, M., & SIEGEL, D. J. How People Change: Relationships and Neuroplasticity.

Social Buffering Effect

The presence of a friend during stressful times can activate the brain’s “social buffering” mechanism, reducing the perceived intensity of the stressor and its physiological impact. This effect highlights the protective role of therapeutic friendships against the harmful effects of stress and adversity.

Ditzen, B., & Heinrichs, M. (2014). Psychobiology of social support: the social dimension of stress buffering. Restorative neurology and neuroscience, 32(1), 149-162.

The neuroscience and neurobiology of therapeutic friendships underscore the profound impact that positive, supportive relationships can have on the brain and overall well-being. Through changes in brain structure and function, modulation of neurotransmitters and hormones, and the enhancement of neural pathways for emotion regulation and empathy, therapeutic friendships offer a powerful avenue for emotional healing, resilience building, and personal growth in addition to spiritual maturity.

Learn More

• Therapeutic Friendship
• Divine Authorship of Scripture & Nervous System

REFERENCES

1. Kolb, B., Mychasiuk, R., Muhammad, A., Li, Y., Frost, D. O., & Gibb, R. (2012). Experience and the developing prefrontal cortex. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 109(supplement_2), 17186-17193.
2. Heinrichs, M., Baumgartner, T., Kirschbaum, C., & Ehlert, U. (2003). Social support and oxytocin interact to suppress cortisol and subjective responses to psychosocial stress. Biological psychiatry, 54(12), 1389-1398.
3. Smith, T. W., Deits‐Lebehn, C., Williams, P. G., Baucom, B. R., & Uchino, B. N. (2020). Toward a social psychophysiology of vagally mediated heart rate variability: Concepts and methods in self‐regulation, emotion, and interpersonal processes. Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 14(3), e12516.
4. Pfeifer, J. H., & Dapretto, M. (2011). 14 “Mirror, Mirror, in My Mind”: Empathy, Interpersonal Competence, and the Mirror Neuron System. The social neuroscience of empathy, 183.
5. SOLOMON, M., & SIEGEL, D. J. How People Change: Relationships and Neuroplasticity.
6. Ditzen, B., & Heinrichs, M. (2014). Psychobiology of social support: the social dimension of stress buffering. Restorative neurology and neuroscience, 32(1), 149-162.
7. Therapeutic Friendship
8. Divine Authorship of Scripture & Nervous System