The Neurobiology of Restorative Practices

First Presenter's Institution

Los Angeles Institute For Restorative Practices LAIRP

First Presenter's Brief Biography

Carlos Alvarez is a pioneer of Right-Brain Restorative practices which focus on the individual’s right brain hemispheric neurobiological and psychological capacity and response, these subcortical brain regions influence the valence of a transgression, emotional-regulation, and motivation. Carlos Alvarez has developed a Right-Brain Relationship Quadrant model that embraces an individual’s somatic, cognitive, and self-regulation during moments of conflict and or restorative encounters (RJ Conferences). His Right-Brain Quadrant model is being used to help Restorative practitioners around the world understand how to influence change and healing while being sensitive to their trauma and antecedent experiences that shaped their brains. Mr. Alvarez is also the Founder of the Los Angeles Institute for Restorative Practices LAIRP a research consulting institute designed to support some of Los Angele's high-risk populations and educating school administrators, law enforcement, mental health paraprofessionals, and Policy officials on right brain restorative practices. Mr. Alvarez is working to transform a system of punishment and discipline into a system of healing and empowerment. His work and research have contributed has added evidence to our work. Carlos Alvarez has presented around the world and has trained hundreds on his work and expertise around implementation of social emotional restorative school systems.

Document Type

Event

Primary Strand

Restorative Practices

Relevance to Primary Strand

Emerging brain research is leaning more towards the notion of relationship building and right brain epigenetic social experiences as the vector for high-risk youth development and optimal social-emotional adjustment. As restorative practitioners, it is critical to explore and understand how compromised right brain locomotion’s hinders an individual from experiencing and developing empathy and optimally moving towards healing harm and emotional complexity. The information in this presentation will explore the importance of working under a right brain restorative framing, primarily when working with high-risk youth populations and how the use of data to track is essential to build a sustaining restorative system. Current mental health statistics and incarceration data are indicating that the level of recidivism is prevalent among individuals who could not fully process a crisis or conflict. The same population is acquiring suspensions, expulsions or getting arrested for related offenses, which reveals the lack of insight obtained by our education and criminal justice systems.

Brief Program Description

In this presentation we will examine right brain locomotion and brain regions that are subordinate during a restorative encounter. During moments of interpersonal dysregulating or conflict several themes arise that hold tremendous information and points of entry for a therapeutic or restorative practitioner. Operating under a Right-Brain Restorative orientation allows the Restorative practitioner to develop an acute positive relationship where the practitioner can begin to work on shifting the valence of the transgression from either positive to neutral. When the transgression is in a positive or neutral realm restorative exploration can begin and true healing can occur.

Summary

Right Brain Restorative Practices

Helping individuals heal or process an event via restorative practices solicits information from specific brain regions, specifically domains that respond to danger or a perceived threat. As restorative practitioners, the quality of our understanding and awareness of our client's history is critical to explore. The complexity of every emotional and cognitive block that surfaces are where the real magic and true healing can unfold. Recalling what happened for many can become a grievous and transformative process when the pain and trauma are connected to their narrative.

Evidence

The restorative alliance is synchronization of emotional communication (Right Brain to Right Brain communication). The alliance begins with witnessing without judgment, which allows an individual (receiver) to take the risk in opening up, in essence, developing a vulnerable co-regulating relationship. Establishing an acute relationship that can foster safety is crucial before the defense mechanism surfaces during the restorative encounter. Right brain processes are dominant during a moment of emotional vulnerability or interpersonal conflict. These experiences are crucial components in establishing the restorative alliance and reestablishing trust during moments of deconstructing harmful events.

Learning Objective 1

IDENTIFY and ANALYZE emotional domains that contribute towards repair/ restoration and social emotional learning.

Learning Objective 2

EXAMINE right brain restorative practices and related domains in-order to develop a restorative approach of care.

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

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The Neurobiology of Restorative Practices

Right Brain Restorative Practices

Helping individuals heal or process an event via restorative practices solicits information from specific brain regions, specifically domains that respond to danger or a perceived threat. As restorative practitioners, the quality of our understanding and awareness of our client's history is critical to explore. The complexity of every emotional and cognitive block that surfaces are where the real magic and true healing can unfold. Recalling what happened for many can become a grievous and transformative process when the pain and trauma are connected to their narrative.