Hidden Brain Love 2.0: How to Move On
Oct 20, 2025
Join psychologist Antonio Pascual-Leone, who specializes in emotions and the intricacies of breakups, as he shares insights on the common mistakes made during relationship endings. He discusses practical tools for processing grief, including lists, unsent letters, and the empty-chair technique. Cognitive scientist Phil Fernbach returns to explore the illusion of knowledge, explaining how overconfidence can mislead us about our understanding. Together, they tackle how narratives inform recovery and the importance of intellectual humility in navigating discussions.
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Make Three Lists To Grieve Fully
- Do write three lists after a breakup: losses of pleasures, things you’ll no longer tolerate, and lost hopes/dreams.
- Labeling these undeclared losses as small tombstones helps make them real and easier to let go of.
How Story Form Predicts Emotional Outcome
- The form of our story shapes symptoms more than content alone.
- Superficial or 'same old' narratives predict higher depressive and trauma symptoms.
Closure Is Your Personal Project
- Closure is often an internal project you do alone, not a conversation you must obtain from the other person.
- Imagined dialogues can process emotion better than real talks when relationship repair isn't the goal.
