How Social Connection Combats Stress | Psychiatrist, Dr. Stephen Porges

Stephen Porges (0:00)

We all have, all vertebrates have a neuroception of danger.

And safety is not the same as not having cues of threat. Safety is something special. It's the voice of the mother, it's a smiling friendship, it's the trust that makes us social mammals, social species.

Michael Gervais (0:31)

All right, welcome back, or welcome to the Finding Mastery podcast. I'm Michael Gervais, and by Trade in Training, I am a sport and performance psychologist. And I am fortunate to work with some of the most extraordinary thinkers and doers across the planet.

And the whole idea behind this podcast is to learn from those people. Not exactly those people, because I'm not bringing my clients on the show here, but to learn from folks that are so extraordinary at their craft and their mind that they're changing the way we understand human potential.

And what we're trying to do is pull back the curtain to understand their psychological framework, to understand how do they make sense of things.

And I'm talking about things inside of themselves, things that are external, like events and activities. We want to understand how do they use their mind.

And our minds are our greatest asset. If you want to learn more about how you can train your mind, there's just a quick little note here, a little reminder, if you will, that I want to encourage you to check out the Psychological Skills Training Course that I created using good science, informed by those who are also on the frontier of human potential, and basically going to show you exactly how we train them in the same very way that we can train you. You can find that at findingmastery.net forward slash course.

I want to take a minute here to announce a really exciting event that we have coming up. As you continue to navigate the challenges and opportunities of 2024, I want to pose a question. What are you doing right now to be great with stress? How are you working with stress on your pursuit towards your most important ambitions and goals? And I just want to get right to the heart of the key elements, one in particular, for what it takes to excel in today's high heat, high stakes world. Because stress is not the problem that we think it is. Stress is a synonym for change. And our ability to be agile with change, that is the real opportunity at hand. So if you're wanting to unlock extraordinary results and sustainable performance in your life, it's not about avoiding or reducing stress. And as simple as that sounds, it's very tricky to do, but it is about fundamentally changing your relationship with it. And that's why I'm so thrilled to invite you to a special event. It's a free virtual event that we're offering, and it's called The Power of Embracing Stress. It's on Wednesday, March 6th at 2 p.m. Pacific. So to sign up, just head over to findingmastery.com/training, whether it's advancing in your career or improving your health or cultivating stronger relationships, I think a new approach to stress can be one of the most powerful unlocks for you in your life. So join us for this free virtual training, The Power of Embracing Stress, on Wednesday, March 6th at 2 p.m. Pacific. Go to findingmastery.com/training to sign up once again. That's findingmastery.com/training, and I'm really excited to see you there. Finding Mastery is brought to you by HIMS. HIMS is changing men's health care by providing simple and convenient access to science-informed treatments for erectile dysfunction, ED, hair loss, weight loss, and more. Health struggles like ED are common, but they can be hard to talk about when it comes to finding a solution. That's why HIMS has been a game changer for so many men. The entire process is 100% online, and if prescribed, your medication ships directly to you, for free and in discrete packaging. No waiting rooms, no pharmacy visits. Plus, you can manage your plan directly on the HIMS app, track progress, and learn more about your conditions and how to treat them from leading medical experts. So, if you or a loved one has been struggling with ED, I really want to encourage you to go check out HIMS. And, I know ED often has a psychological component as well. So, be sure that you're stacking some psychological best practices into your daily routine as well. Start your free online visit today at hims.com/findingmastery. That's HIMS, hims.com/findingmastery for your personalized treatment options. hims.com/findingmastery. Prescriptions require an online consultation with a health care provider who will determine if appropriate. Restrictions apply. See hims.com/e-o-f for details and important safety information. Subscription required. Price varies based on product and subscription plan. Now, this week's conversation is with Dr. Stephen Porges. And he is distinguished in what he does. He's a scientist at Indiana University, where he is the founding director of the Traumatic Stress Research Consortium. He's also a professor of psychiatry at the University of North Carolina and Professor Ametrius at the University of Illinois at Chicago and the University of Maryland. Let's just pause there for a moment. Think about that traveling, if you will.