Cognitive Abilities - The Myth Must be Busted

We live in a culture that worships the mind.

We are taught that if we think hard enough, read enough, or analyze enough, we will find the solution to our pain.But what if this belief is the very thing keeping us stuck?

I once worked with a client who came in saying, “I just want to stop snapping at my kids.” She had read books, made lists, tried affirmations — but nothing worked.

In our first session, I asked her to simply notice what happened in her body right before she raised her voice. She paused, closed her eyes, and said, “My chest feels like it’s on fire. I can’t breathe.”

That moment was the beginning of her transformation — not by thinking differently, but by sensing differently. The myth that she could “think her way” to calmness had kept her looping in guilt and self-criticism. What actually changed her life was working with her nervous system first.

Most of what troubles us is not purely cognitive. Our nervous system — the network of nerves running through our body — is constantly scanning for danger. When it senses uncertainty, the amygdala sounds the alarm. Hormones flood the body. Our heart races, our breath shallows, our jaw tightens. These reactions are faster than thought. By the time we “decide” to act, the body has already acted for us.

This is why I do not work only with cognition — because cognition is often late to the party. The brain is brilliant, but in a dysregulated state, it becomes a prisoner of survival mode.

Instead, I work with the body first. Somatic practices help you notice the subtle cues of stress before they take over. NLP and coaching then help you reframe, choose, and integrate new ways of being. Together, this process restores autonomy — the ability to respond, rather than react.

The real myth to bust is this:

You cannot simply think your way to peace.You must feel your way back to safety first.

When the nervous system feels safe, cognition comes back online. The amygdala quiets, the prefrontal cortex opens, and clarity, creativity, and choice return.

This work is not about “fixing” what is wrong with you.It is about reconnecting with what has always been right — your body’s natural wisdom — and allowing your mind to become an ally again.