What Happened to You?

What Happened to You?

Conversations on Trauma, Resilience, and Healing

Bruce D. Perry, M.D., Ph.D. and Oprah Winfrey

About the Book

Our earliest experiences shape our lives far down the road, and What Happened to You? provides scientific and emotional insights into the behavioral patterns so many of us struggle to understand.

Have you ever wondered “Why did I do that?” or “Why can’t I just control my behavior?” Others may judge our reactions and think, “What’s wrong with that person?” When questioning our emotions, it’s easy to place the blame on ourselves; holding ourselves and those around us to an impossible standard. It’s time we started asking a different question.

Through personal conversations, Oprah Winfrey and trauma expert Dr. Bruce Perry offer a groundbreaking and profound shift from asking “What’s wrong with you?” to “What happened to you?” In conversation throughout the book, she and Dr. Perry focus on understanding people, behavior, and ourselves.

About the Authors

Dr. Bruce D. Perry is an American psychiatrist, currently the senior fellow of the Child Trauma Academy in Houston, Texas and an adjunct professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago, Illinois.

Oprah Winfrey is a global media leader, philanthropist, producer, and actress.

Where to go next?

The Body Keeps the Score

Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma

In this book, Dr. Bessel van der Kolk explains how trauma reshapes both body and brain and how it can compromise the capacity for pleasure, engagement, self-control, and trust.

September 2015

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Childhood Disrupted

How Your Biography Becomes Your Biology, and How You Can Heal

In this book, Donna Jackson Nakazawa explores how the emotional trauma suffered by children shapes the emotional lives of adults, physical health, longevity, and overall wellbeing.

June 2016

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The Deepest Well

Healing the Long-Term Effects of Childhood Trauma and Adversity

In this book, Dr. Nadine Burke Harris explores the science behind adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and offers guidance on disrupting this cycle to help children, families, and adults live healthier, happier lives.

December 2021

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