Inside Your Brain: Neuro-Informed Therapy
Welcome to Inside Your Brain, a series where I break down the fascinating neuroscience behind anxiety, OCD, and relationships—and show how therapy can help you change the way your brain responds. Each post connects brain science to practical strategies so you can better understand what’s happening in your mind, why it matters, and how to use that knowledge to live the life you want.
Learn how interoception—your brain’s body-sensing system—affects anxiety, panic, phobias, and OCD. Discover how therapy can help you interpret these signals accurately and respond with confidence.
What is the Insula and Interoception?
Your insula (or insular cortex) is tucked deep inside your brain and plays a critical role in interoception—your ability to sense what’s happening inside your body. Unlike other brain areas that give you information about external sensations like touch or vision, the insula helps you notice internal sensations—things such as your heartbeat, breathing, gut sensations, and other internal cues.
Even subtle signals from the insula can influence decision-making. For instance, studies in mice have shown they can detect sugar internally, leading them to prefer sugary foods over non-caloric ones—even without tasting a difference. In humans, this same internal feedback helps us navigate challenges and respond appropriately to danger.
When the Brain Perceives Danger
Although the insula is incredibly helpful, it can sometimes send signals that result in unhelpful messages—signals we perceive as threats. This is common for people living with symptoms of anxiety, phobias, panic, and OCD.
For example, the insula might register a racing heartbeat, faster breathing, or a sinking feeling in your stomach and we interpret these signals as “danger,” even when nothing threatening is happening. As such, these signals can fuel the fire of anxiety, panic attacks, obsessive thoughts, as well as avoidance and compulsive behaviors.
Over time, such responding can lead to avoiding activities and relationships you care about. In other words, the insula is doing its job by sending you information about your body—but your interpretation of those sensations may be causing distress and loneliness.
How Therapy Helps You Recalibrate
Therapy can help you retrain your response to these brain signals. By learning to notice sensations without automatically reacting with fear, avoidance, or compulsive behaviors, you create space for different and healthier responses.
Evidence-based approaches such as Exposure Response Prevention (ERP) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) focus on recalibrating this relationship between your brain’s messages and the meaning you make of them. By working on cognitive restructuring, exposure, and mindfulness, you can start to:
- Tolerate uncomfortable sensations
- Reduce the power of anxiety triggers
- Shift from compulsive or avoidant behaviors to value-driven actions
Over time, these skills can reduce anxiety and OCD symptoms—allowing you to re-engage with the life and relationships you value most.
Take Control of Your Brain Signals
If navigating bodily sensations or intense anxiety has been overwhelming, therapy can help you interpret your brain’s messages more accurately.
I work with clients in Bellingham and online in Seattle and throughout Washington State to help them respond skillfully to anxiety, panic, phobias, and OCD.
If you are interested in individualized support, schedule a session today and start learning how to identify your brain’s signals in ways that will be helpful for you.