Habits Quote by Janina Fisher
““Whereas we’d once believed that the symptoms and behavior exhibited by our clients primarily reflected their psychological defenses—a view that attributed a degree of intentionality, no matter how unconscious—now, we better understood the symptoms as manifestations of instinctive brain and bodily survival responses. We understood that sympathetic activation fuels anxiety and rage, parasympathetic dominance causes shutdown and passive-aggressive behavior, flight responses spur fleeing the therapist’s office, and fight responses lead to verbal or physical aggression or violence turned against the self. When clients self-harm, for example, these days, we understand their actions to be instinctive, rather than thought out—an effort to regulate or relieve, rather than punish.””
About This Quote
Source Book: Healing the Fragmented Selves of Janina Fisher, 2016
Symptoms are instinctive survival responses, not deliberate choices; they arise from nervous system states.
In simple terms: Symptoms are body’s survival signals, not conscious choices.
Key Takeaway
Treat symptoms as nervous system signals, not moral failings.
Themes
psychology
neuroscience
therapy
Mood
compassionate
analytical
Type
therapeutic
educational
When to use this quote
- clinical practice
- trauma work
- self‑harm intervention
- stress management
Key Concepts
Instinctive survival
sympathetic activation
parasympathetic dominance
Questions to Reflect On
- What nervous system state is driving your current behavior?
- How can you safely shift from fight to flight?
A Different Perspective
Changing deep‑seated brain patterns takes time and patience.
