Neural Path Therapy

Book Review by Tim Brunson DCH

Normally any book with a title like Neural Path Therapy: How to Change Your Brain's Anger, Fear, Pain & Desire would automatically grab my attention. Apparently, when I saw this book I had the sudden impulse to reach for my credit card and invest another $15 for my continuing education. I was sure that a book by Matthew McKay, Ph.D., and David Harp, MA, an experienced clinician and a seasoned corporate trainer, respectively, would fill gaps in my knowledge about the therapeutic implications of the inner workings of the brain. After reading and re-reading what I found out to be rather simplistic self-help book, I wish that I had spent just a few additional moments scanning it before make the decision to buy.

Neural Path Therapy is presented as a new form of Cognitive Based Therapy (CBT). Contrary to the blatant trademarking of this newly coined "intervention", I couldn't find anything truly original. Essentially, their theory is that by simultaneously holding a thought, which may or may not produce a sympathetic nervous system response, and practicing a breathing pattern more akin to harmonica playing rather than yogic breathing, the "mind muscle" of the brain can be altered in a healthier manner. Essentially, in one sentence, that is the message of the book. However, any relationship between neural pathways and this "therapy" are a stretch (to say the least).

Obviously this book is of the trade self help genre. Other than the author's claims about years of clinical and pubic speaking experience, they present no case studies, citations, or references to back up their claims. Attempts to throw in a touch of credibility by casting about names like Benedictine, Kabala, and Theravada Buddhism, were rather weak. While I would not profess to have any meaningful knowledge of the first two, I do have enough academic and practical experience with Buddhism to take exception to their somewhat frivolous remarks. Essentially, this book fails to stand up to any criteria for a serious or significant contribution to the healing professions.

Do I see any merit in this book? Yes, there is some. As evidenced by the Buddhists and what I have learned from yoga teachers, to include Julie Lusk, M.Ed.,LPC, the author of Desktop Yoga, breathing is important. From a neurological standpoint, conscious breathing stimulates increased serotonin production in the brain stem. This in turn affects the Limbic System's functioning. Specifically, the additional serotonin affects encoding of short-term memories and alters emotional response (and thus alters the endocrine system) by triggering responses from the hippocampus and hypothalamus, respectively. Of course, it makes sense that breathing will affect thoughts. However, if you want a more practical self-help book I would purchase Lusk's book and leave Neural Path Therapy on the bookstore shelf.