In the realm of psychological and spiritual integration, Neuroscience Informed Christian Counseling® (NICC) stands out by offering a unique approach that combines deep spiritual truths with contemporary psychological insights. This article delves into the foundational concepts of NICC, such as the differentiation between the Core Self and the Constructed Self and the role of Internal Working Models (IWMs) in shaping our perceptions and interactions.
We will explore how NICC categorizes these models into character structure domains, enhancing our understanding of human behavior in both optimal (self@best) and suboptimal (self@worst) conditions. By incorporating principles from neuroscience and biblical teachings, NICC aims to guide individuals towards a life of thriving, aligning people’s personal growth with God’s design and the unique expression of their soul’s DNA.
The Core vs. Constructed Self
Core Self (‘I’)
The Core Self in NICC is described as an innate, non-thought, non-verbal felt sense of self that is present from the earliest moments of life. This aspect of self arises from the interaction between the soul and the brain’s subcortical midline structures. It reflects the “DNA of the soul”—the unique spiritual blueprint endowed by God, which guides an individual’s inherent talents, giftings, and divine purpose. The Core Self is characterized by qualities such as compassion, curiosity, calmness, and confidence, and remains relatively constant throughout life.
Constructed Self (‘Me’)
The Constructed Self, in contrast, develops through lived experiences and is shaped by interactions with the environment, including caregivers, peers, cultural influences, and life events. It involves a complex layering of IWMs that encode how to relate to the world and others. These models are dynamic and change over time, reflecting an accumulation of life experiences. The Constructed Self can be segmented into two aspects:
- Constructed Self at Best (s@b): This reflects an optimal state of being, where experiences align with God’s design and are congruent with the Core Self, facilitating personal and spiritual growth.
- Constructed Self at Worst (s@w): This consists of maladaptive IWMs formed from trauma or negative experiences, leading to a state that is misaligned with both the Core Self and God’s design.
Internal Working Models
Internal Working Models (IWMs), the fundamental building blocks of the constructed self, are psychological constructs that develop early in life and continue to influence behavior, emotions, and social interactions throughout an individual’s lifetime. These models are essentially cognitive frameworks that help us interpret and navigate our social world, primarily derived from our interactions with primary caregivers and significant relationships.
Formation of IWMs
IWMs are formed based on our earliest experiences with attachment figures. These experiences teach us what to expect from others, how to approach relationships, and how we view ourselves in the context of those relationships. Over time, these working models help us predict and control our environment, guiding how we relate to others and ourselves.
Self@Best Internal Working Models form from helpful experiences, where conditions for thriving are met consistently and reliably. These IWMs support thriving by encoding helpful instructions for navigating life in each of the character structure developmental domains (Connection, Independence, Reality, Feelings, and Spirituality). Conversely, unhelpful experiences, not supportive of conditions for thriving, result in unhelpful IWMs that require transforming.
Character Structure Developmental Domains
In the context of Neuroscience Informed Christian Counseling® (NICC), character structure domains are conceptual frameworks that help us organize IWM’s into categories. These categories in turn help us understand how our experiences shape our expectations and behaviors throughout life in important aspects of life.
Connection
This domain involves developing internal working models for forming safe, supportive relationships. Healthy connection models arise from experiences where primary caregivers are consistently available and responsive, enabling children to feel seen, understood, and safe. Thriving in this domain results in feeling unique, lovable, and confident in the stability and support of close relationships.
Example Helpful self@best IWMs of Connection:
- Believes that relationships are reliable sources of support and comfort.
- Feels worthy of love and expects openness and honesty in interactions.
Example Unhelpful self@worst IWMs Connection:
- Perceives relationships as inherently unstable and untrustworthy.
- Feels undeserving of affection and tends to withdraw from or sabotage close relationships.
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