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How Does Neuroplasticity Work? [Infographic]

214 Comments

Neuroplasticity, simply, refers to the brain’s ability to change and form new connections. When neuroscience began to discover more about the brain’s remarkable ability to change, it opened up new ways of thinking about our work with patients. By harnessing the power of neuroplasticity, we can help patients think more clearly, learn more easily, develop greater focus, and manage reactive emotions.

And that can help them find new ways to respond to a wide range of conditions including brain injury, stroke, learning disabilities, traumatic experiences, depression, and anxiety.

But neuroplasticity involves a number of complex processes, and it can be a difficult concept to convey to patients.

So we created this as a way for you to help patients understand how neuroplasticity works. Because if the brain can change, your patients’ lives can change.

Click the image to enlarge

How Does Neuroplasticity Work - NICABM Infographic Printable Download

If you’d like to print or download a copy to share with your clients, just click here: Color or Print-friendly

(If you’re sharing this infographic, please attribute it to NICABM. We put a lot of work into creating these resources for you. If you’re sharing this digitally, please link back to this page in your attribution. Thanks!)

To learn more about advances in brain science that can be applied to your clinical work, look at this short course featuring Stephen Porges, PhD; Daniel Siegel, MD; Rick Hanson, PhD; Pat Ogden, PhD; and more.

Now we’d like to hear from you. How could you use this infographic in your work with patients? Where do you see the benefits of neuroplasticity? Please leave a comment below.

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Related Posts: Brain, Infographics, Neuroplasticity

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This is a learning community for practitioners. We can’t wait to hear what you’re going to use with your clients.
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214 Comments

  1. Sapna Bhaskar, Coach, AE says

    Thanks a lot for this wonderful and simple infographic on neuroplasticity which anyone can easily understand. I have referred the diagram in my upcoming book AmpUp Life and also attributed it to NICABM.

    Reply
  2. SA Hoomans PhD, Teacher, NL says

    In a world of information overload, ecological crises and political instabilities all over the world, I believe neuroplasticity is essential to understand, to become more resilient and be able to cope. Thanks for the infographic, I used it when teaching students about their professional development.

    Reply
    • Rita Chisum, Student, Russellville, AR, USA says

      Beautiful Visual! Thanks for making this available. 🙏

      Reply
  3. synergy physiotherapyclinic, Another Field, IN says

    The NICABM infographic on neuroplasticity is outstanding! It clearly explains the brain’s adaptability and provides valuable insights for patient recovery.

    Reply
  4. Anne Brookes, Coach, GB says

    Thank you – this is the best resource I have found to explain neuroplasticity. I particularly like the “bright and dark sides”.
    It makes clear their lives can change. I work with NLP and Time Line Therapy. It requires an understanding of this concept and recognition that it is not complicated. Then your own power can be grasped.
    Anne Brookes, Canalside Life Coach, Birmingham, UK

    Reply
  5. Yolanda Russell, Other, Oklahoma City , OK, USA says

    great description, graphics and explanations.

    Reply
  6. E Alexandra Dunnison, Another Field, CA says

    What a wonderful inforgraphic! I am a cognitive consultant specializing in helping people find neuroplastic methods to improve function. Aside from consulting, the only therapy I offer is the Safe and Sound Protocol. I will definitely use this when I am working with clients/families to help them understand neuroplasticity.
    Alexandra Dunnison, Cognitive Consultant

    Reply
  7. Darcy Irwin, Coach, CA says

    This poster will be an incredible visual aid for the participants in our Grizzly Strides Parkinson’s-specific adaptive fitness and cognitive skills training. Thank you for all of the effort you have put into creating it and allowing me to share it with the participants.

    Reply
  8. Katherine Pogee, Exercise Physiology, Portland, OR, USA says

    Thank you so much for this informative and helpful article. I am just starting out in my career within the fields of exercise science and gerontology; at the moment I’m teaching aqua fitness to mostly older populations and I’m folding in some exercises that tickle the brain, if you will. Much like brushing your teeth with your non-dominant hand, water exercises that you have to really think about (using multiple planes, sagittal, transverse, frontal) truly stretch and pull and challenge us in the best of neuro ways.

    Thanks again,

    Katherine

    Reply
  9. BER, Marriage/Family Therapy, Simi Valley, CA, USA says

    I love that I found this diagram especially since it am always looking at ways to explain neuroplasticity to my clients. I help my clients with increasing their resources (things that bring that calm, peace, joy, love) & how their resourcing creates new neuropathways especially since they have PTSD or other forms of trauma. Thank you! Thank you!

    Reply
  10. Sally Orr, Teacher, Sarasota, FL, USA says

    Can I use Neuroplasticity to change the way I experience pain from severe osteoarthritis in my hip please? I would like to avoid surgery and it appears that many people have almost alleviated their pain through an anti-inflammatory diet, movement, PT etc. I am close. Kind regards, Sally
    Martyorrsally@gmail.com

    Reply
  11. Emma Bartlett, Marriage/Family Therapy, N. Las Vegas, NV, USA says

    These Infographics are a “keep it simple” way to help clients and keep sessions on track. Thanks so much for all you do!!! –

    Reply
  12. Kerri Renaud, Counseling, CA says

    Thank you for sharing this valuable information

    Reply
  13. Jwff Pipi, Other, USA says

    Does neuroplasicity require focused effort during repetitive motionor is repetitive motion all that is required?
    How does the brain know to retire severed neuro connections? Do the motor nerves send a signal back to the brain to tell it to reword neuro pathways? How is this possible?
    Thanks

    Reply
  14. Carl Clingman, Health Education, Pine Island, MN, USA says

    I’m primarily interested in how to retrain the brain to simply make good decisions. Addicts have damaged prefrontal cortexes; this prevents them from controlling their impulses or actions. Similarly, impulsive disorders among non-addicted people may be helped if there was a very basic method of training the brain to decide to make good decisions, or decide against poor decisions. It’s an either/or decision-making process that could be trained using good versus bad decision-making as a basis for creating a habit loop for making better choices (decisions). This assumes neuroplasticity actually works to rewire the brain.
    Jeff Olson’s book, The Slight Edge, is all about making incremental improvements every day by making the simple decision between good or bad choices. Verbal Judo can be distilled down to avoiding conflict and steering behavior by presenting (in a friendly way) an easy decision between choices that are either good or bad for you. The choice should seem EASY, and that, to me, should create neuronal pathways in the same way neuroplasticity researchers at the University of Wisconsin–Madison have successfully “rewired” the brains of diagnosed psychopaths in the prison system by merely getting them to think, write, and speak about the consequences of their behaviors on others.

    Reply
    • Louise Ashby, Other, AU says

      This is not true regarding addicts. I have recovered from four addictions 27yrs via Neuroplasticity. I rewired my brain there isn’t a day that I think about smoking drinking or doing drugs. The want gas gone. They Went with my other biggest addiction. The Negative thoughts. As soon as I rewired my brain to Positive and surrendered to assistance from a higher power- after three days the want for any of them dissolved. Journalling saved my life. I rewrote my story and uninstalled the addiction programs

      Reply
  15. Saadia Qureshi, Student, NZ says

    I am going to use these graphics to explain the effect of stress on brain and remediation strategies for secondary science students in my PhD studies.

    Reply
  16. Adeia, Medicine, New Haven , CT, USA says

    I healed paralysis, 30 brain lesions, PTSD, and severe brain damage with this science.

    That was after I used it in clinical social work with combat veterans with brain trauma and PTSD.

    Then I woke up with holes in my brain and used it to heal myself.

    Reply
  17. Peggy Tarmey, IE says

    Hi my 88 year old mom has dementia she was so good but fractured her pelvis two years ago and was left on the floor for ages on her own so she must have suffered some trama i am her full time carer she is thin and frail i find it hard sometimes but thankfully she sleeps at night but she goes in and out somtimes with her memory goes back a lot in time.

    Reply
  18. Michele Fluhr Fraser, Teacher, St. Paul, MN, USA says

    Thank you for making this printable!!

    I would also like to be able to purchase the full piece in one post-size print if possible.

    Michele Fluhr Fraser

    Reply
  19. Astrid Toorop, Counseling, NL says

    Dear Alex,
    It really is possible to overcome ADHD. I am a Davis Counselor and help clients to overcome dyslexia and dyscalculus. Almost all off them (to different degrees) have symptoms that are related to what is now known as AD(H)D. The common root cause is desorientation as a result from confusion. By becoming aware of your desorientation – when it occurs and what triggers it – you gradually but also rapidly are able to take control over the way you perceive the world. ADHD as well as dyslexia and dyscalculus are examples of the downside to neuroplasticity. The good news now is, that it is not irreversible.

    Reply
    • M.C. SeMarier, Other, Dallas, TX, USA says

      I would love to hear more about your work with AD(H)D patients.

      Reply
  20. Ute Vollmer-Conna, Psychology, AU says

    I used to teach about Neuroplasticity to medical students. This is a wonderfully clear and useful summary that illustrates the main points so well. Thank you! x Ute

    Reply
  21. Stephanie Lim, Occupational Therapy, MY says

    I’m an OT in Neurorehabilitation and I love to share neuroplasticity to clients to help them understand better why are they doing therapy and how it affects the brain this improve function!!

    Reply
  22. Annette Ladowitz, Social Work, Saratoga, CA, USA says

    How about naming Covid like Lynn Lyons names an anxiety. OK Corry Covid. Shut up. I’m putting on my mask and you go sit in a corner.
    Annette

    Reply
  23. Mari Gottlieb, Other, Boulder, CO, USA says

    This is so helpful! I’m an SLP and I specialize in providing cognitive therapy to people who have had brain injuries, primarily concussions. I love the concept of neuroplasticity and I think it will be really helpful to explain this and/or provide the diagram.

    Reply
  24. R Glick, Psychotherapy, Los Angeles , CA, USA says

    A suggestion for your graphic:
    Neuroplasticity is stimulated by something… not a “result” of something…

    Reply
  25. Ruby, Another Field, IE says

    I am going to use this diagram both with my clients and to remind myself and my family the importance of practicing positive thoughts and behaviours.
    As I read it I feel it offers hope.

    Reply
  26. JILL COOK ANDREAS, USA says

    IS THERE A FOUNDATION I COULD CONTRIBUTE TO THAT IS NEUROPLASTICITY RELATED?

    JILLJCOOK@MAC.COM

    Reply
  27. Torri, Another Field, USA says

    Trauma informed yoga is all about this!!

    Reply
  28. Elana Cohen, Counseling, Cedar City , UT, USA says

    Let me know if youd like some good adhd therapists who will help retrain the add brain….im 41 and proof you can “overcome” many if not all adhd tendencies . Adhd is overcome-able

    Reply
    • Martha Pritchard, Counseling, West Jefferson, NC, USA says

      I would LOVE to have the opportunity to re-plasticize my ADHD brain!! With 30 years of sobriety in AA I am so ready for this challenge and opportunity. I have the gift of gratitude that has been significant in my journey. More shame around my ADHD than I thought was possible.
      I am 73 and anxiety still locks doors I want to open for self and others.

      Reply
  29. Elana Cohen, Counseling, Cedar City , UT, USA says

    I work with Substance Abuse clients who are attempting to re-wire neural networks that have been set for years . I teach them the capacity to mobe from Trauma Brain to Learning Brain and this will be so helpful for their sense of hope and motivation!!! Cant thank you enough!!!

    Reply
  30. Traci, Millington , NJ, USA says

    This is great! I will use this to explain to my athletes how they can learn/improve skills by concentrating on good form, for a healthy number of repetitions.

    Reply
  31. Andrea cla says

    I am a dyslexia tutor. This explains to parents that the brain CAN be trained and reshaped with systematic and intense instruction.

    Reply
  32. Andrea cla says

    I am a dyslexia tutor. This explains to parents that the brain CAN be trained and reshaped with systematic and intense instruction.

    Reply
  33. Joy Calle, Other, Page, ND, USA says

    I need somebody to help me do this.

    Joy

    Reply
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