Nexus: a place where many things meet or converge.
Nexus State: a psychological state from which a person experiences the maximum self-control or agency. In this state, they believe that their actions will lead to positive outcomes. These actions can be autonomous (things you do alone) or dyadic (things you do with another person.)
Nexus State Theory: a theory of nexus states and how to attain them. A major purpose of Nexus State Theory is to help people value both autonomous and dyadic experiences.
Part 1: Introduction and Motivation
A summary of the main ideas in this work, as well as a discussion of sources and evidence.
A discussion of reasons for disconnection in our society as well as Attachment Theory.
A Model of Hunter Gatherers’ Experience
Examples of Default Human Range, Default Human Range of Stressors, and Learned Layer states
Responding to Potential Concerns
How can we know if what we are reading is true?
A brief story about a nexus state.
The motivation for Nexus State Theory.
1. The Internet and Social Media
Nexus State Theory helps with internet compulsion.
Nexus State Theory helps us to understand therapy.
Nexus State Theory helps us to decide which efforts to focus on.
Nexus State Theory has four central principles.
Part 2: States
Mental-emotional states.
A diagram depicting the relationships between states.
The Cause of Sink States’ Limitations
Limiting narratives are the cause of sink states’ limitations.
States can be open or closed.
Sink states are states that are hard to escape.
State diagrams with bubbles and arrows are a simplified version of what’s really happening.
Two kinds of open states.
Part 3: Therapeutic Approaches
The Awareness of Emotion Arrow
Reaching a nexus state by becoming aware of one’s emotions.
The Awareness of the Body Arrow
Breath meditation and body scans.
Control and non-control.
An interpretation of philosophy as a Mystery arrow.
Using literature as an arrow.
A few other examples of arrows.
Examples From the Literature – 1
Examples from a book on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.
Some exercises that you can do.
Part 4: Miscellaneous Topics
Reaching states that are hard to get to, even from nexus states.
Shaming vs. renarrativizing.
The importance of listening and other dyadic skills.
Different people fit together in different ways, or not at all.
No “One State to Rule Them All”
The Buddhist concept of anatta.
Interactive Nexus State Theory
A list of interview questions about Nexus State Theory.
Nexus State Theory 