by Joanne Reimer
Being an avid CBC listener and a retired nurse researcher, I often hear snippets of information on the radio that grab my attention. Recently, I heard a piece about how ‘gut feelings’ are like a second brain which led me to an article in the University of British Columbia, Graduate Program in Neuroscience.
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I went on to discover more and more research articles about how the connection between the brain and the gut helps us to make decisions intuitively.
This information took me back decades to when I was struggling with a major career decision about accepting a position with a community-based health care organization. I had read a one-page document describing how minor decisions were made with your brain and major decisions were made with your gut. That resonated with me. As I deliberated about my decision, my head brain was in high gear with cogent, rational thoughts about staying put. However, my gut brain was pushing in a different direction, resisting what my rational brain was admonishing. I can still visualize the post box where I dropped my letter of acceptance. I remained standing in front of that letter bin so that I could feel whether the decision I made was the right one for me. My gut felt settled and I walked away confident that I had chosen the right path.
Sitting in Callanish circles, I listen to people describe how uncertainty underscores their day to day living, their quality of life, treatment plans and thoughts about their future. Their stories detail how they grapple to make sense of the medical facts, tests, and options for how to proceed while considering their own personal situation, values and sense of self. I understand now that they are likely using both their head brains and their gut brains to make decisions.
I have learned to respect how the gut, heart and brain work together and enable us to make decisions that are right for ourselves. Bravo to neuroscience for validating what has predominantly been considered “experiential” and consequently, less valid. We at Callanish know better!
If you would like to read the article you can find it here.
Joanne Reimer has been connected to Callanish since its inception in 1995 and has been a program assistant and baker at Callanish for the past several years. She brings many years of experience working in the healthcare system as a clinical nurse specialist in palliative care and researcher.