This Neurobiologist Wants You To Ask One Question To Reframe Anxiety, Depression, And Trauma | Dr. Bruce Perry (Co-Interviewed by Dan's Wife, Bianca!)
May 27, 2024
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Dr. Bruce Perry, a renowned neurobiologist and trauma expert, joins co-interviewer Bianca Harris to discuss how reframing our questions can transform our understanding of trauma. They emphasize the shift from 'what's wrong with you?' to 'what happened to you?' as a path to healing. Topics include the impact of trauma on mental health, the role of empathy in personal growth, and the effectiveness of therapeutic approaches like EMDR. Perry's insights on community support and the dual nature of trauma provide a compassionate perspective on resilience and recovery.
Shift focus from 'what's wrong with you' to 'what happened to you' to understand trauma impact.
Reframe experiences by normalizing trauma, practicing empathy, and engaging in therapeutic activities.
Recognize challenges of developmental trauma, explore impact on adult behaviors, and embrace personal history for healing.
Deep dives
Reframing Trauma: From 'What's Wrong with You' to 'What Happened to You'
Dr. Bruce Perry, co-author of 'What Happened to You', shifts the focus from 'what's wrong with you' to 'what happened to you' to understand the impact of trauma, including everyday small tea traumas. Healing involves focusing on microinteractions and moderate challenges, reshaping personal responsibility and fostering safety in relationships.
The Power of Understanding Trauma and Personal Responsibility
Understanding trauma helps individuals reframe their experiences, normalize trauma's impact, and acknowledge both big T and small t traumas. By shifting from 'what's wrong with me' to 'what happened to me,' individuals can develop empathy, take personal responsibility, and engage in therapeutic practices like EMDR and pattern rhythmic activities for healing.
Navigating Developmental Trauma and Healing Practices
Developmental trauma before age three presents complex challenges in relationship dynamics and intimacy. Examining the impact of early relational experiences on adult behaviors sheds light on maladaptive patterns. Embracing personal history and understanding inherited trauma can facilitate healing through therapeutic interventions and community support.
Importance of Connection and Understanding
Recognizing the importance of being generous with oneself and others, the podcast emphasizes the significance of gaining perspective on personal struggles and acknowledging the challenges faced by everyone. By understanding that life is inherently difficult and that individuals may carry their own traumas, the call to show up, be present, and offer genuine connections is highlighted to foster resilience and positive relational interactions.
Rupture and Repair for Building Relationships
Delving into the concept of rupture and repair, the podcast explores how human connections involve moments of disconnection and reconnection. Through discussing the necessity of recognizing individuals' backgrounds and communication styles, the narrative underscores the value of mutual understanding and adaptive responses to repair relational ruptures. By emphasizing small but impactful relational interactions and the practice of repairing connections, the podcast advocates for fostering healthy and resilient relationships.
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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.