What Happened to You? cover art

What Happened to You?

Conversations on Trauma, Resilience, and Healing

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What Happened to You?

Written by: Oprah Winfrey, Bruce D. Perry
Narrated by: Bruce D. Perry, Oprah Winfrey
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About this listen

"[Oprah Winfrey and Bruce D. Perry] are both capable, likable narrators who are sincerely engaged with their subject matter...The performances of these two humanitarians make this a must-hear for anyone recovering from their traumatic past." (AudioFile Magazine)

This program is read by the authors.

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

“Through this lens we can build a renewed sense of personal self-worth and ultimately recalibrate our responses to circumstances, situations, and relationships. It is, in other words, the key to reshaping our very lives." (Oprah Winfrey)

This audiobook is going to change the way you see your life.

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 deeply personal conversations, Oprah Winfrey and renowned brain and trauma expert Dr. Bruce Perry offer a groundbreaking and profound shift from asking “What’s wrong with you?” to “What happened to you?”

Here, Winfrey shares stories from her own past, understanding through experience the vulnerability that comes from facing trauma and adversity at a young age. In conversation throughout the audiobook, she and Dr. Perry focus on understanding people, behavior, and ourselves. It’s a subtle but profound shift in our approach to trauma, and it’s one that allows us to understand our pasts in order to clear a path to our future - opening the door to resilience and healing in a proven, powerful way.

A Macmillan Audio production from Flatiron Books

©2021 Bruce Perry, Oprah Winfrey (P)2021 Harpo, Inc.
Abuse Mental Health Parenting & Families Psychology Resilience Inspiring Thought-Provoking Adult Children Childhood Trauma Trauma Informed
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What listeners say about What Happened to You?

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This

I love Bruce Perry's work and I hope this book helps it to reach the main stream including policy makers--poverty can be a TRAUMA, racism is a trauma. Let's get collectively smarter than this harmful pathology based, individualized medical model we are so entrenched in.

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Great Beginner Book

I loved Dr. Perry’s book “The Boy Who Was Raised as a Dog” so when I saw this title with Oprah as co-author I jumped on it. As someone who is fairly trauma informed and already looks at people and their actions (including myself) through a “why do you do things that way” lens, this book provided no new information for me personally. It was great affirmation of what I already know. The stories Dr. Perry and Oprah told were relevant and help to explain the philosophy of trauma informed views of people and their actions. As explained in the book, trauma is subjective to each person and HOW they experience any particular event, and therefore how someone treats their trauma will differ person to person. With that being said, I was missing that piece. How should one deal with the trauma they’ve experienced in their life? What’s next after trauma? Even just some starter points, options, suggestions would have been appreciated. It’s a great beginner book for those who are starting their self-regulation and trauma informed journey. It’s well read and the casual conversations between the authors is lovely. It leaves more to be desired for those already on their self discovery journey.

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1 person found this helpful

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A book that can save and rebuild your life

It's hard to articulate the words for what I am feeling about this book. I've read many many self help books. Every book that Brene Brown recommends, I buy and absorb as much as I can. THIS book tops them all for me because it resonated so deeply within my soul. I better understand so many behaviors and situations that not only I have been caught up in but everyone I have ever met. The way they explain how events affect your brain is really eye opening. I feel like with this book as a healing tool, I can finally start to work through my messy childhood. I know that it's going to help me become the mom that I have always wanted to be. I will have more patience and understanding in situations where I would normally disregulate and lose my cool. I listened to the audio version because I knew that I needed to dive in immediately and wouldn't have time for a bit to properly digest the hard copy I own.

I know that Oprah and Dr Perry will likely never see this review. In case they ever do, a million thank yous! I can't express enough gratitude for you putting in to words everything between these pages and in this audio book. Beyond grateful. Thank you immensely for this piece of brilliant work. I hope that everyone reads it. I'm ordering a copy for the principal at my sons school and whoever his teacher will be this year. it should be a mandatory read for everyone working with children.

if you've never been able to understand why you react to things the way you do and you have long wanted to make a change, this book is for you. Blown away.

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so good.

I loved it and gained valuable insights. Thank you so much I will definitely be recommending this book.

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Best book on Trauma

I have read a fair amount of trauma work. This is one of the clearest ones, put in layman’s terms. Thank you Oprah and Dr. Perry

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read this!!

I truly feel everyone could benefit from reading or listening to this ! the book is wonderful all around.

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Necessary life read.

It will change the way you think about yourself and everyone else. It helped me to know that with my own experiences I continue to head in the right direction. Difficult stories many times but hopeful and useful counsel for overcoming. A must read for understanding trauma.

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A must-read book for everyone

An exceptionally good book with the right balance of science and emotional narrative. It was illuminating and helpful to learn how the brain deals with stress, trauma and adverse experiences. Whether to understand yourself better, or engage with others more meaningfully, I highly recommend this book.

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One of the most powerful audiobooks

This title definitely is one of the most powerful audiobooks.

It is amazing and definitely a listen everyone should have to understand self and others.

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profound

loved it. informative, profound, eye opening, educational & a stepping stone to personal growth and healing.

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