Huberman Lab Essentials: Therapy, Treating Trauma & Other Life Challenges | Dr. Paul Conti
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Jan 22, 2026 
Dr. Paul Conti, a psychiatrist and trauma expert, delves into the complexities of trauma and its profound impacts on the mind and body. He explains the evolutionary roots of guilt and shame that often accompany traumatic experiences and introduces practical tools for processing these emotions through therapy, writing, or introspection. Conti also discusses the promising potential of psychedelics and MDMA in therapeutic settings, revealing how they can facilitate deeper healing. He emphasizes the importance of finding the right therapist and maintaining core self-care practices.
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Trauma Changes Brain Function
- Trauma is an experience that overwhelms coping skills and changes how the brain functions going forward.
- These brain changes show up in mood, anxiety, behavior, sleep, and physical health.
Personal Loss That Shaped Perspective
- Dr. Paul Conti recounts his younger brother's suicide and how guilt, shame, and avoidance changed him.
- That personal experience led him to seek help and recognize the need to face inner changes.
Shame/Guilt Are Evolutionary Tools
- Shame and guilt are evolutionarily adaptive affects that deter harmful social behavior and enhance survival.
- Those same deeply arousing affects become maladaptive in modern long-lived societies, causing chronic distress.