Everyday Trauma

Remapping the Brain's Response to Stress, Anxiety, and Painful Memories for a Better Life

By: Tracey Shors PhD

Narrated by: Jean Ann Douglass

Length: 6 hrs and 7 mins

Publisher's summary

A neuroscientist explores how trauma impacts the brain, especially for women - and how we can learn to heal ourselves

Everyone experiences trauma. Whether a specific harrowing event or a series of stressful moments that culminate over time, trauma can echo and etch itself into our brain as we remember it again and again throughout our lives.

In Everyday Trauma, neuroscientist Dr. Tracey Shors examines trauma with a focus on its pervasive nature - how it can happen at any time, through big or small events, and how it often reappears in the form of encoded memory. Her research reveals that when we are reminded of our trauma, reliving that tragic moment copies yet another memory of it in our brain, making it that much more difficult to forget. Dr. Shors also explores the neuroscience behind why women in particular are more vulnerable to stress and traumatic events, setting them up to be three times more likely than men to suffer PTSD.

With potential long-term consequences such as addiction, anxiety, depression, and PTSD, trauma can have a lasting impact on both the brain and body. Dr. Shors illuminates the effective tools that can reduce the repetitive thoughts that reinforce our traumas, including cognitive-based therapies and trauma-informed care such as her own groundbreaking program, a combination of mental and physical training called MAP Training.

By understanding how our brain responds to trauma and practicing proven techniques that can train our brains and help us let go of our tragic memories - whatever they may be - we are better equipped to leave our traumatic pasts behind and live in a brighter present.

A Macmillan Audio production from Flatiron Books

©2021 Tracey Shors, PhD (P)2021 Macmillan Audio

Good overview trauma and its effects

It’s a fairly good overview of what trauma is, its effects on the brain, and the resulting challenges people face. My hunch is that this book is probably most useful for someone like me, I.e. one living with someone that has experienced trauma and lives with its effects. I say this because it’s an overview - it doesn’t go into great detail on any one topic - of a subject that is most likely pretty unfamiliar to most people. Yes, we’ve heard of trauma, but understanding what it does to a person is an another matter entirely and it can be pretty overwhelming knowing where to start learning. Since it’s short, you can easily get through it in a couple days. With that being said, it ends on a pretty hopeful note so for those that have experienced trauma, it too can serve as a guide of sorts on how healing can begin. Trauma really rewires the brain in such a way that can be hard to appreciate and this is a great place to start. If you’re well read on the topic, this book may not provide a lot of new information. Otherwise, for those of starting the journey of educating ourselves to help the ones we love, this is a pretty good place to start.

A book of both depth and breadth.

This book describes how the brain generates thoughts, feelings and memories about stressful life events. The author invites the reader to connect their own lives to the workings of their own brain. She goes on to suggest ways to alleviate the everyday trauma of life.

THIS BOOK WILL MAKE YOU THINK 🤔

I loved listening to this book. I realized that mental fitness is way more important than physical fitness. However, doing them together can be a game-changer for your life. I strongly recommend this book.

Engaging, informative, and interesting!

Wow! Really enjoyed listening and reading about Dr. Shors's perspective on trauma, mental health, and the everyday solutions that we can do to better ourselves. I have followed the training that she mapped out in the book for the past 4 months now, and it has completely changed my stress and anxiety levels. I have bought the book for many different family members and friends, and they have reported the same thing. I have cycled back through multiple times, with each pass discovering something new and helpful. Shors also does a great job of tackling a difficult subject with great prose and an interesting narrative. Thoroughly enjoyed, and highly recommend!

Put me to sleep

There was nothing new or particularly interesting here, The most helpful thing about it was that I fell asleep rather quickly each night at a reasonable hour while listening to the dull drone of well known information.