Will I love What Happened to You??

We see people act out and don’t ask why. We see people use broken coping that tumbles them back into a cycle of self-damaging trauma. We don’t look at our past to inform how our personal history frames our experiences, coping, and expectations–and limits our ability to heal if we don’t self-examine and change behavior to bring about an alternative outcome.

The lies we tell ourselves to explain our choices and hide from our truth are protective mechanisms that can feed the damage. The shame projected on the victim, the learned shields to hide the original trauma, and… show more.

Just when I thought I could not love Oprah more, she generously shares personal stories that show us the intense effort and vulnerability of facing trauma and adversity. Throughout the book, I felt like I was sitting across the table from her and Dr. Perry.

Their focus on understanding people, behavior, and ourselves flips the script on how scientists usually discuss their research findings. I loved the format and how it made me feel included in the conversation. For me, this reads like an interview with extended snapshots highlighting the trials and triumphs of facing trauma head-on.

This book, by Oprah Winfrey and Dr. Bruce Perry (Bluebird, April 22, 2022) is still a number one best-seller on Amazon. People who experience childhood abuse are at higher risk for physical and mental health disorders in adulthood. Dr. Perry shares scientific insights into the patterns of behavior in adulthood that so many struggle to understand.

Dr. Perry and Ms. Winfrey share numerous examples of how the lingering shame from the past keeps them stuck in their lives as adults. The part I loved the most in this book was how Ms. Winfrey offered how shame debilitates us and holds… show more.

What happened to you? The thing I most like about my work is hearing people’s stories and I think this book really shines the light on people’s stories.

It’s not what is wrong with you which is so often how this is positioned, it is what happened to you? What is the story of how you got to be where you are today, I love the way the book positions where people are at, and I think it has a very hopeful premise. 

It has never been more important to ask this question after the tough few years we have… show more.

I’ve often said that the most resilient ones among us have perfected the art of recovery from disruption.

The art of recovery from disruption is the premise of my book. An entire Chapter in that book is dedicated to Oprah Winfrey. As the authors state in the introduction to this book – “This book is for anyone with a mother, father or child who has experienced trauma.”

The narrative in the book of the unique adaptability of our brains is very insightful and Oprah sharing her personal experiences as a child and how she came through it is just… show more.

Dr. Bruce Perry, a well-known trauma expert, neuroscientist, and psychiatrist, and icon Oprah Winfrey break down mental illness barriers and hold conversations with emotionally struggling individuals. Instead of asking, “What is wrong with you?” they ask, “What events in your past led to how you feel and act today?” Trauma, especially childhood trauma, is covered, with the emphasis on how to renew one’s personal sense of worth and become more resilient. Readers learn what can cause trauma and lack of self-worth and how individuals can become strong, thrive, and move successfully through life. What experiences can lead to resilience rather… show more.

Bruce D. Perry and Oprah Winfrey go through the importance of understanding and identifying the ‘why’ behind the complexities of the human experience. Opening the discussion on the importance of processing trauma, and how it affects us all while acknowledging the experience, this book enables the opportunity to lead to a thriving path of healing and recovery. 

What Happened to You? is both profound and easy to understand. Bruce Perry, one of the leading experts on early childhood trauma, has been a frequent guest of Oprah Winfrey, who has spoken many times about the trauma she experienced and the impact it had on her life. In this “conversation”, they explore what constitutes trauma, the effect it has on a person’s life, and how to find healing. Simply put, we need to change the question we ask of anyone who is struggling (especially a child) from “what’s wrong with you” to “what happened to you?” If… show more.