Alexithymia

Alexithymia is the condition of being unable to identify one's feelings. This term was created by Dr. Peter Sifneos in 1972, when he was a Harvard psychiatrist. Emotionally flat-lined, alexithemics exhibit emotional blankness. They are confused when their emotions come to the surface. This term comes from the Greek 'a' for lack, 'lexis' for word, and 'thymos' for emotion.

Amygdala

Part of the limbic system of the brain, the amygdala is a storehouse of emotional memory. Named after the Greek word for almond, the amygdala is actually two almond shaped clusters that sit above the brainstem near the base of the limbic ring. Dubed by Goleman as the psychological sentinel, the amygdala can short-circuit or hijack the rest of the brain, when it senses immediate danger. See the research of Joseph LeDoux for more information.

Attunement

Attunement is a process in which a parent signals to a child...