Hi! I'm Stephanie Miller.

Researchers found that mentally rehearsing actions activates the same motor pathways as physically doing them, leading to measurable brain changes.
-Pascual-Leone et al. (1995), Harvard Medical School

What it means for you: When you visualize change in session, your brain treats it like reality. You're not just "thinking about it" you're creating new neural connections that support lasting transformation. 

Neuroimaging shows that guided imagery lights up the amygdala and hippocampus regions tied to emotional processing and memory consolidation.

-Kosslyn et al. (2001), Harvard University

What it means for you: By engaging your emotional brain, imagery helps you reframe how you feel, so you can move forward with clarity and less emotional weight. 

 Meditation and internal imagery reduce overactivity in the Default Mode Network (DMN), which is linked to rumination and repetitive self-talk.
-Brewer et al. (2011), Yale University

What it means for you: These practices help you step outside of old mental loops and connect with a calmer, more self-aware version of yourself. 

Visualization activates the prefrontal cortex (planning), motor cortex (movement), and parietal lobes (spatial awareness), reinforcing neural pathways before you even act.
-Cumming & Williams (2012), Journal of Imagery Research in Sport and Physical Activity

What it means for you: By visualizing success, you're preparing your brain to respond with confidence in real-life situations.

MRI scans show that hypnosis increases activity in the anterior cingulate cortex (focus), insula (internal body awareness), and thalamus (sensory processing), creating a distinct brain state.
-Oakley & Halligan (2013), Trends in Cognitive Sciences

What it means for you: You're not pretending or playing along in sessions, your brain is actively changing in session, opening up to new beliefs, behaviors, and ways of being. 

Body-based imagery activates the insula and somatosensory cortex, helping the brain access and reinterpret stored bodily memories and sensations.

-Simmons et al. (2006), Nature Neuroscience

What it means for you: Even if you can’t name exactly what's wrong, your body holds the clues. These practices help you reconnect with your inner world safely and begin to release what no longer serves you.