The Three Sources of Suffering

There are at least three distinct sources of human suffering, all related, and none reducible to the others. They are:

• Nature—the unique combinations of temperaments and constitutional strengths and weaknesses that each of us is born with.
• Trauma—the Big T and small t traumas that are ubiquitous in human development, and which leave us more sensitized and vulnerable rather than more resilient.
• Nurture—the sum total of our family, cultural, and environmental experiences that help shape who we are and how we deal with the world, for better or worse.

Dr. Keith and I dive into these three sources of suffering, explaining how each contributes to the challenges of human existence. We show ways to use this knowledge to grow towards living a happy ending at the beginning of something wonderful.