Connie Lillas, PhD, MFT, RN: One of the problems that I'd like to highlight that comes from the DSM and the use of the DSM is how that there is a push for us to take the often long laundry list of symptoms that people bring to us and the push to come up with a singular diagnosis. We have often ignored that the real world and reality don't function on that level. And so that poses a great challenge for us because the real world is more complex. Along with this idea of singular diagnosis that the DSM brings we also have these healthcare systems that are really fragmented. And by shifting away into underlying dimensions, we can start to build what we call precision care, personalized care and collaborative care. There's certain elements that they consider transdiagnostic and transdisciplinary. And one of those is arousal regulation and the use of energy and how it can turn into toxic stress. So the neurorelational framework really takes the idea of arousal regulation and brings toxic stress to the foreground where everyone can start to have a common language and a shared approach still within their specialization but now coming together to work together. We are promoting long-term health across the lifespan that promotes well being and resilience.
