BNF 80 September 2020 PDF Free Download

The book alternates between sections written by Oprah, as she recalls events from her life, and Dr. Perry, as he uses examples and stories from his practice to explain concepts about the brain’s response to trauma. Oprah’s sections are written in blue, while Dr. Perry’s are written in black, to easily distinguish the two. There are sections at the beginning of each chapter where either Oprah or Dr. Perry will recount events that happened in their lives and discuss the effects of trauma. Most of the rest of the chapter is then written in more of a conversational tone; as Perry and Oprah go back and forth in a way that feels more like a discussion on Oprah’s show.

In the first chapter of the book there is a diagram that I found very helpful that depicts the ‘Hierarchical Organization of the Human Brain’. This diagram is referenced many times throughout the book, and is a key to understanding the effects of trauma. Dr. Perry explains that traumatic experiences are first registered in the lowest levels of this hierarchical structure, so that certain situations that are similar in some way to a traumatic situation of the past, still trigger the same physiological responses even before our cortex can analyze these situations.

Oprah and Dr. Perry do a great job of using examples of patients or guests that experienced trauma, and explaining the underlying biological responses that have shaped their behaviors later in life. In the chapter on self regulation and balance, Dr. Perry explains the processes involved in the body’s core regulatory networks, and the body’s response to stress activation. Dr. Perry discusses drug addiction and how people use artificial means to attempt to restore some sense of balance. There is another chapter that discusses love, and the effects of growing up in an environment where you do not feel cared for. Later chapters focus on identifying trauma, and the eventual healing process.

This book can be helpful for a wide range of people. Obviously if you have experienced trauma, especially early in life, this book can help explain what adaptations your brain went through and how this affects your perspectives on situations later in life. Perhaps equally important though, is the ability to prevent trauma-related issues in future generations by using these insights to guide your parenting behaviors and decisions. For me, reading about the long-lasting effects of certain childhood experiences has made me even more vigilant as a parent; and more focused on the less-obvious ways that my children might be absorbing information.

I enjoyed reading this book, and it contains so much information that I will likely go back and reread later, as I try to make sure to create the healthiest environment for my children