DeepSummary
The episode features an interview with Dr. Bruce Perry, a renowned neurobiologist, about his book 'What Happened to You?' co-authored with Oprah Winfrey. The discussion focuses on reframing how we understand trauma, mental health issues, and personal challenges by shifting from asking 'what's wrong with you?' to 'what happened to you?'. This perspective acknowledges that behaviors and struggles often stem from past experiences, both big and small traumas, shaping neural pathways.
Dr. Perry emphasizes the importance of recognizing the universality of trauma in everyday life and its impact on brain development and functioning. He explores the concept of 'state-dependent functioning', where feeling safe and connected enables better thinking and resilience-building. The conversation delves into healing through small, relational moments, fostering moderate challenges, practicing rupture and repair in relationships, and understanding inherited trauma.
Throughout the interview, Dr. Perry offers practical advice on activities that support healing, such as movement, being in nature, and engaging in pattern-repetitive rhythmic activities like music and dance. He also discusses the role of personal responsibility, emphasizing that understanding one's experiences does not excuse problematic behaviors but provides a path to healing and growth.
Key Episodes Takeaways
- Cultivate empathy and understanding towards oneself and others by acknowledging the role of past experiences in shaping behaviors and struggles.
- Embrace personal responsibility and agency in the healing process, while also acknowledging the biological and neurological factors at play.
- Understand that healing happens through small, relational moments and consistent effort, rather than grandiose gestures or expectations.
- Reframe personal struggles and challenges by asking 'what happened to you?' instead of 'what's wrong with you?' to acknowledge the impact of past experiences and trauma.
- Understand the neurobiological underpinnings of trauma and how feeling safe and connected enables better thinking and resilience.
- Engage in activities that support healing, such as movement, being in nature, and pattern-repetitive rhythmic activities like music and dance.
- Foster personal growth and rewire neural pathways through moderate, controllable challenges and practicing rupture and repair in relationships.
- Recognize the universality of trauma in everyday life and its impact on brain development and functioning.
Top Episodes Quotes
- “The more you understand the biology underneath this, the more you realize that you actually have agency. You have the ability to intentionally control and change a lot of the things about the way you're wired.“ by Bruce Perry
- “If you knew the story of some of these kids that were acting out in school, it would break your heart. And so the way you interact with them in the moment is going to be more a reflection of your empathic awareness of the pain that they're having, as opposed to the fact that they're pain in the ass and they don't follow directions.“ by Bruce Perry
- “The simplest, most actionable, most effective thing that people can do if they have any kind of anxiety, sadness, depression, demoralization, trauma related stuff in their history, is to think about intentionally walking in nature as much as you can.“ by Bruce Perry
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Episode Information
Ten Percent Happier with Dan Harris
Ten Percent Happier
6/3/24
The radical shift in perspective that can come when we change our question from “what’s wrong with you” to “what happened to you?”
Dr. Bruce D. Perry, M.D., Ph.D. is the Principal of the Neurosequential Network and a Professor (Adjunct) at the School of Allied Health, Human Services and Sport, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria Australia.
Over the last thirty years, Dr. Perry has been an active teacher, clinician and researcher in children’s mental health and the neurosciences holding a variety of academic positions. His work on the impact of abuse, neglect and trauma on the developing brain has impacted clinical practice, programs and policy across the world. Dr. Perry is the author, with Maia Szalavitz, of The Boy Who Was Raised As A Dog, a bestselling book based on his work with maltreated children and Born For Love: Why Empathy is Essential and Endangered. Dr. Perry's most recent book, What Happened to You? Conversations on Trauma, Resilience, and Healing (2021), co-authored with Oprah Winfrey, has been translated into 26 languages and has been on the New York Times Bestseller list for over 100 weeks after becoming #1 on the list in April of 2021.
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