ABSTRACT

The heart was seen as the seat of emotion, thought, will, and intention and was the key to the afterlife. Archaeological remains confirm that, in death, all the body organs were removed except for the Ancient Egyptian's heart. It was believed to be the key to a successful transition to the afterlife. If the heart was lighter than a feather, the person went to heaven. When conception has been because of violence, such as rape, this has a profound impact on the mother's ability to accept the pregnancy. Often her feelings of loathing can be translated into dislike of self or be projected to the developing embryo. This chapter examines the interrelationship between the gut-brain, heart-brain, and head-brain by examining research on the brains' neurodevelopment. It explains that disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome may be a brain-mediated disorder with associated deficits in cognitive functioning. The chapter shows how to conduct BART psychotherapy sessions, could benefit this cohort of patients.