Davorka Marovic Ph.D., LPC

08/26/2026

You don’t come into this world as a “blank slate.”

You arrive with a nervous system that already has its own tendencies—your temperament.

Temperament is your nervous system’s natural way of experiencing and responding to the world. It influences how sensitive, intense, reactive, energetic, cautious, or steady you naturally tend to be. You didn’t choose it, and it isn’t good or bad—it is simply part of the biological starting point you came into the world with. While temperament is relatively stable, we can learn different ways of understanding, expressing, and managing it.

But temperament doesn’t exist in isolation.

In Dr. Dan Siegel’s framework, temperament interacts with fundamental motivational systems—what we are driven to seek, protect, and maintain in relationship with ourselves and the world. These motivations organize around three core needs: Agency, Bonding, and Certainty.

Agency — “I can.”
The need to act, influence, make choices, and feel effective.

Bonding — “I belong.”
The need for connection, love, acceptance, and meaningful relationships.

Certainty — “I am safe.”
The need for structure, stability, predictability, and a sense of what to expect.

When these needs are threatened, they can be associated with three primary emotional vectors: anger, sadness, and fear—Agency with anger, Bonding with sadness, and Certainty with fear.

These motivational and emotional pathways, together with temperament and our natural orientation of attention, contribute to the development of personality patterns.

And this is where attachment becomes especially important.

A child brings their temperament into the world. Their relational experiences profoundly influence the child’s adjustment and personality patterns.

When a child’s temperament is understood and supported, they can develop greater security, self-regulation, confidence, flexibility, and a healthy sense of self.

When a child’s temperament is repeatedly misunderstood, criticized, overwhelmed, or unsupported, the child may adapt in order to stay safe, accepted, or connected. They may learn to suppress parts of themselves, seek approval, withdraw, become overly compliant, become controlling, or develop other protective strategies.

These adaptations are not flaws. They are ways the child learned to survive and maintain connection.

The goal is not to change a child’s temperament.

The goal is to create relationships in which the child can understand and work with their temperament, have their fundamental needs supported, and gradually develop more flexible and integrated ways of being.

Temperament is the starting point.
Motivation gives direction.
Attachment shapes adaptation.
Relationships influence development.
And integration allows the child’s natural strengths to emerge.

I recently had the privilege of attending Dr. Dan Siegel’s Certified Attachment & Personality Patterns Specialist (CAPPS) Training in Washington, DC, through the Mindsight Institute, where I became certified in this framework. This training has deepened my understanding of how temperament, motivation, attention, attachment, and development come together to shape personality patterns.

08/26/2026

Kids were never meant to sit for so many hours every day.

Hours sitting at school.
More hours doing homework.
Then more time on screens.

And we wonder why so many kids are struggling with sleep, mood, focus, physical and mental health.

Research involving 141 studies found that children and adolescents with more physical activity, less sedentary time, and adequate sleep had better physical, psychological, and educational outcomes.

Another review of 58 longitudinal studies found that higher sedentary behavior was associated with increased risk of depression, anxiety, and other mental-health problems later on.

The WHO recommends an average of at least 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity every day for children ages 5–17, while limiting sedentary time—particularly recreational screen time.

We shouldn’t expect kids to sit still longer. We need to build more movement, play, and social connection back into their day.

And if on top of this many kids are eating processed junk food…such a terrible combination.

Personally, I would never feed kids Pop-Tarts for breakfast or those j***y sugary cereals loaded with artificial colors. Honestly, I am surprised that anyone buys that.

So encourage your kids to eat healthy, go outside after school and get plenty of playtime.

When my son was young, I walked him to school every day so he got both exercise and quality social time. He also walked home after school, and I always encouraged him to skateboard, play basketball and hang out with friends before coming home to do homework and eat dinner.

I was a stickler about buying healthy food. Even though he complained when he was younger, “There’s nothing good to eat in this house!” 😂 he is grateful now because these healthy habits were embedded early in life.

For a developing brain and body, movement, play time, creative activities, healthy whole food nutrition, sunshine, nature and social interaction are essential.

❤️🌳🌞⛹️‍♀️🤾‍♂️🏊‍♂️

08/24/2026

We often talk about 'feeling safe' in a relationship, but what does that look like in the body?

Relational safety isn't just an emotion—it’s a physiological state. When our nervous system detects safety, it activates the 'ventral vagal' state, allowing our hearts to open and our minds to remain clear and curious.

Without this biological foundation of safety, connection feels like a threat, and we move into self-protection.

What is one small way you practice creating safety for yourself or others during a difficult conversation? I’d love to hear your thoughts. ❤️

08/23/2026

One of the things that has shaped my work most deeply is studying what happens inside the brain and nervous system when we enter the relational world with another person.

During my doctoral research, my colleagues and I conducted research in relational neuroscience, using quantitative EEG (qEEG) to examine how the brain responds to different emotional and interpersonal experiences. We were interested in something clinicians have long observed but rarely measured: what happens neurologically when we encounter different emotional states.

What we found was interesting.

🔹 Anger and interpersonal threat activated the right hemisphere’s prefrontal and limbic regions, areas involved in threat detection, emotional withdrawal, and protective responses. When the brain perceives relational danger, it can shift away from its natural openness and receptivity and toward self-protection. In those moments, connection can become neurologically harder to access.

🔹 Gratitude, appreciation, and warmth produced a very different neural pattern, with increased engagement of the left prefrontal regions associated with approach motivation, positive affect, openness, and connection. In other words, warmth isn’t simply something that “feels good.” It helps create a neural environment that supports moving toward rather than away.

🔹 As a part of this research, we examined three interventions for helping clinicians regulate their own nervous systems when working with emotionally challenging clients: 4-7-8 breathing, gratitude practice, and compassion meditation. Of the three, compassion meditation produced the most significant effects, not only helping calm the nervous system but also supporting cognitive functioning. Cultivating compassion toward ourselves can help us remain present, regulated, and mentally flexible when difficult moments arise.

🔹 I also conducted research examining secure attachment and professional burnout among nearly 300 mental health professionals from across the United States. The participants included psychiatrists, psychologists, marriage and family therapists, school counselors, substance abuse counselors, and other clinicians. The findings were compelling: clinicians with secure attachment—those with a stronger foundation of warm, supportive relationships—were more resilient and substantially less vulnerable to burnout.

And my research extended beyond clinicians.

I also interviewed immigrants from different parts of the United States to better understand what helps people successfully adapt and adjust to a new cultural and social environment. Again and again, relationships emerged as a central factor.

People can be surrounded by institutions, resources, opportunities, and information, but supportive relationships and communities are what help human beings feel grounded, connected, and capable of adapting.

Across these different studies, the same powerful theme kept emerging:

Relationships are not simply something we have. They are something our brains and nervous systems depend on.

The way we speak to each other, respond to one another, repair after conflict, express appreciation, cultivate compassion, and create secure attachment can influence how we regulate, cope, connect, and function.

This is why the science of relationships matters so deeply to me.

The goal isn’t simply to help people communicate better.

It is to help people understand the profound biological, neurological, emotional, and relational processes that shape our closest relationships—and to translate that science into practical tools people can actually use in everyday life.

The quality of our relationships influences the quality of our lives.
❤️

08/23/2026

What if you could make important decisions from a state of calm, clarity, and coherence—not from stress or emotional reactivity? ❤️

I’m certified in HeartMath, and one of the things I teach my clients is how to intentionally shift into a state of coherence—a state where the heart, mind, emotions, and nervous system are working together more harmoniously.

When we’re in stressful or depleting emotional states—like frustration, anxiety, fear, insecurity, or overwhelm—our thinking can become more reactive. It can be harder to communicate clearly, see the bigger picture, or make decisions that truly reflect what matters to us.

HeartMath teaches practical techniques that can help us shift from these depleting emotional states into renewing emotions such as appreciation, care, compassion, and gratitude.

And this matters far beyond simply “feeling better.”

Imagine being in a challenging conversation with your partner, a family member, or a colleague. Instead of responding from frustration or defensiveness, you pause, shift into coherence, and then choose how you want to respond.

Or imagine having a major decision to make—about your relationship, career, business, family, or next chapter of life—and making that decision from a place of greater calm and inner alignment rather than fear, pressure, or emotional overwhelm.

The state we’re in when we make a decision matters.

When we learn to regulate ourselves and create greater coherence, we give ourselves more space to listen, think clearly, communicate consciously, and make choices that are more aligned with our values and intentions.

This is one of the tools I love sharing with my clients because it’s not about suppressing emotions or pretending everything is okay.

It’s about learning how to shift your state so you can respond rather than react. ❤️

What could change in your life if you learned to access that state before your next difficult conversation or important decision?

08/22/2026

Can love help save a life? I wholeheartedly believe it can.

When I came across this story, I was deeply inspired. Before sharing it, I wanted to make sure it was accurate, so I checked the facts.

The heart of the story is true.

At just 24 years old, Wang Xiao was told she had about one year to live unless she received a kidney transplant. None of her family members was a match.

Yu Jianping, 27, was battling leukemia and desperately needed a bone marrow transplant.

Both were facing life-threatening illnesses. Both were living with the uncertainty of not knowing whether they had months or years left.

Believing her time was running out, Wang made an extraordinary decision. She posted an unusual message online looking for a husband. She didn’t want to spend what could be the last year of her life alone. And if she died first, she hoped her healthy organs could help save someone else’s life.

Yu answered.

He wasn’t looking for love either. He was fighting for his own life and worried about what would happen to his father if he didn’t survive.

What began as a practical arrangement between two people who believed they might die became an extraordinary love story.

They fell deeply in love.

Then tragedy struck again.

Yu’s family couldn’t afford the bone marrow transplant that could save his life.

Wang refused to give up.

Despite spending hours every week on dialysis, she began selling flowers on the streets of Xi’an. Beside every bouquet, she placed a handwritten note telling their story.

People stopped.

They read.

They cried.

They bought flowers.

Then they shared the story.

Thousands of strangers came together and raised enough money for Yu to receive the transplant he desperately needed.

The transplant was successful.

Then something remarkable happened.

As Yu recovered, Wang’s own health began to improve. Over time, her doctors discovered that she no longer needed the kidney transplant they had once believed was her only chance of survival.

Reading their story, I couldn’t help thinking about something I have written about many times before: the extraordinary power of healthy relationships.

At the core of my being, I believe that love, care, hope, and perseverance helped save these two lives. Medicine, science, and exceptional healthcare professionals made their recovery possible. But their relationship gave them something medicine alone could never prescribe: a reason to keep fighting.

This is why I have always been inspired by Relational-Cultural Theory, developed by Dr. Judith Jordan and her colleagues at the Stone Center, affiliated with Harvard Medical School. One of its central ideas is that we grow through and toward connection. Growth-fostering relationships nurture resilience, hope, healing, and human flourishing.

Research continues to show what many of us know intuitively: meaningful relationships are among the strongest predictors of our physical health, psychological well-being, and longevity, while chronic loneliness and social isolation place us at significantly greater risk of illness and premature death.

This story reminded me that healing is rarely a solitary journey.

Sometimes, the greatest gift we can give another human being isn’t a solution.

It’s our presence.

So today, I invite you to make your relationships your greatest investment.

Tell the people you love that you love them.

Reach out to the friend you’ve been meaning to call.

Be fully present with the people who matter most.

Because, in the end, our lives are shaped not only by the experiences we face, but by the people who impact our lives. All those experiences either prolong or shorten our lives.

Moving forward, may you create more growth-fostering relationships in your life. ❤️

And a little note about the photo I’m sharing with this post: it was taken a few years ago in Love Valley, Turkey.

08/22/2026

What are you carrying from the generations before you? 🧬

Mitochondria are known as the “powerhouses of our cells.” They create the energy our cells need to function.

But they may also be part of a much bigger story.

Your mitochondrial DNA is passed down through your maternal line—from your mother, her mother, her mother before her. Mitochondria carry genetic information, and researchers are now exploring how mitochondrial biology and epigenetic mechanisms may help transmit the effects of environmental stress across generations.

We also know that chronic stress can affect mitochondrial structure and function.

So when we talk about what we inherit from our ancestors, maybe it’s worth looking beyond physical traits.

What strengths did they develop to survive?
What resilience did they pass down?
What patterns helped them survive their circumstances—but may no longer serve you?

Healing isn’t about rejecting your ancestors.

It’s about honoring what carried you here while having the courage to transform what doesn’t need to continue through you.

So ask yourself:

What strength and resilience did I internalize from my ancestors?

And just as importantly:

What am I ready to heal and transform?

Maybe you are not here to carry everything forward.

Maybe you’re here to transform it. ❤️

08/22/2026

We spend a lot of time thinking about what we want to achieve. But how often do we stop to ask whether achieving it will actually make us feel fulfilled?

There’s an interesting piece of research from the University of Rochester that made me think differently about the goals we spend our lives chasing.

In a 2009 study, Christopher Niemiec, Richard Ryan, and Edward Deci followed young adults through the transition into post-college life.

They looked at two broad kinds of aspirations:

Extrinsic:

💰 Money
🏆 Fame & status
✨ Image & appearance

Intrinsic:

🌱 Personal growth
❤️ Close relationships
🤝 Contributing to your community
🏃‍♀️ Physical health

And here’s the part I find really interesting:

People who valued a goal were generally more likely to attain it.

But attaining the goal itself wasn’t necessarily what made people psychologically healthier.

Attaining intrinsic goals was associated with better psychological health.

Attaining extrinsic goals, on the other hand, was not associated with better psychological health and was associated with indicators of ill-being.

You can achieve the thing you’ve been working toward… and still not feel fulfilled by it.

That doesn’t mean money is bad.

It doesn’t mean success, ambition, or recognition are bad.

It makes me think we need to ask a deeper question:

“What am I hoping this achievement will give me?”

More money might give you security.

A promotion might give you opportunity.

Recognition might feel amazing.

But what if underneath all of it, what you’re really longing for is:

Connection.
Autonomy.
Meaning.
Growth.
A sense that your life matters.

Then perhaps the external reward can only take you so far.

Because sometimes we spend years chasing the thing we think will make us happy, when what we really want is the feeling we believe that thing will give us.

And maybe that’s why some achievements can feel strangely empty once we finally get them.

So here’s the question I’m sitting with:

If nobody could see your achievements, praise them, or be impressed by them… what would you still want to accomplish?

Your answer might tell you something important about what you actually value.

What would your answer be? 🤔

08/11/2026

I was recently interviewed by VoyageSTL about my journey and clinical experience. If you’d like to read the full story, here’s the link:

https://voyagestl.com/interview/meet-dr-davorka-marovic-johnson-of-davorka-marovic-johnson-phd-lpc/

Today we’d like to introduce you to Dr. Davorka Marovic-Johnson. Hi Dr. Davorka, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?My story begins in the small Mediterranean countr...

08/05/2026

I just read this fascinating research and had to share it. I’m a big proponent of walking, and I spend a lot of time walking in Forest Park and hiking whenever I’m in St. Louis. Here’s what the research shows:

Research led by Dr. Qing Li in Japan found that spending several days in a forest was associated with increased activity of natural killer (NK) cells—immune cells that help the body respond to infections and abnormal cells. Natural killer cells are one of the body’s first lines of defense, helping identify and destroy virus-infected cells and potentially cancerous cells before they can spread. Some of these changes were still measurable up to 30 days later.

Scientists believe that several factors may contribute, including:

🌳 Exposure to natural compounds released by trees (called phytoncides)
😊 Lower stress levels
💚 Time away from the constant stimulation of urban life

While more research is needed to confirm long-term health benefits, one thing is already well established:

Spending time in nature supports mental health.

Studies consistently show that being in green spaces can:

• Reduce stress and anxiety
• Improve mood
• Lower cortisol (the body’s primary stress hormone)
• Enhance attention and mental clarity
• Promote a greater sense of calm and well-being

Nature can be a valuable part of a healthy lifestyle alongside sleep, movement, social connection, and professional support when needed.

If you’re working through a challenge with your partner, a friend, your child, or even a work colleague, consider taking the conversation outside. A walk through a forest or a nearby park can create a calmer environment for listening, thinking, and connecting. The rhythmic, bilateral movement of walking is associated with nervous system regulation and can support emotional processing. Add fresh air, natural surroundings, and a little sunshine, and you’ve created conditions that can help both your mind and body settle—making difficult conversations feel a little easier.

So if you’re feeling overwhelmed, or if an important conversation feels stuck, step outside before you give up. Sometimes changing the environment helps us change our perspective.

🌳🌳🌳