To all appearances, Eleanor Longden was just like every other student, heading to college full of promise and without a care in the world. That was until the voices in her head started talking. Initially innocuous, these internal narrators became increasingly antagonistic and dictatorial, turning her life into a living nightmare. Diagnosed with schizophrenia, hospitalized, drugged, Longden was discarded by a system that didn't know how to help her. Longden tells the moving tale of her years-long journey back to mental health, and makes the case that it was through learning to listen to her voices that she was able to survive. TEDTalks is a daily video podcast of the best talks and performances from the TED Conference, where the world's leading thinkers and doers give the talk of their lives in 18 minutes (or less). Look for talks on Technology, Entertainment and Design -- plus science, business, global issues, the arts and much more. Find closed captions and translated subtitles in many languages at http://www.ted.com/translate Follow TED news on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/tednews Like TED on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TED Subscribe to our channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/TEDtalksDirector

What if vulnerability wasn’t a weakness, but a superpower? In this insightful interview, Brené Brown challenges the misconception that vulnerability is merely a source of fear and discomfort. Instead, she reveals its essential role in fostering deep connections, empathy, and even innovation. Through personal stories and research-based insights, Brown explains why embracing vulnerability is the key to authentic relationships, courageous leadership, and meaningful growth. 🌟 What You’ll Discover: 🔹 Redefining Vulnerability: Why it’s not weakness but the birthplace of courage. 🔹 The Link to Empathy: How true connection depends on vulnerability. 🔹 Courage in Uncertainty: Navigating discomfort for personal and professional growth. 🔹 Authenticity & Innovation: How embracing vulnerability fuels creativity and leadership. ✨ Highlights: ✔️ Learn why vulnerability is essential for deep, meaningful relationships. ✔️ Discover how to cultivate resilience by embracing uncertainty. ✔️ Gain insights into using vulnerability as a strength in work and life. 🌿 Why Watch? Brené Brown’s groundbreaking research offers a powerful perspective shift—showing that by leaning into vulnerability, we unlock greater courage, connection, and creativity. This talk is a must-watch for anyone seeking to live with more authenticity and wholeheartedness. --- About Brené Brown Brené Brown, PhD, LMSW is a research professor at the University of Houston’s Graduate College of Social Work who has spent the past 10 years studying vulnerability, courage, authenticity, and shame. She is a nationally renowned speaker and has won numerous teaching awards, including the college’s Outstanding Faculty Award. Her groundbreaking work has been featured on PBS, NPR, and CNN. Her 2010 TEDxHouston talk on the power of vulnerability is one of most watched talks on TED.com. Her most recent TED talk, “Listening to Shame,” was released in March 2012. Brené is the author of The Gifts of Imperfection and I Thought It Was Just Me (but it isn’t). She is also the author of Connections, a psychoeducational shame resilience curriculum that is being facilitated across the nation by mental health and addiction professionals. Brené’s current research focuses on wholeheartedness in families, schools, and organizations. She lives in Houston with her husband and their two young children. About The Power of Vulnerability Is vulnerability the same as weakness? “In our culture,” teaches Dr. Brené Brown, “we associate vulnerability with emotions we want to avoid such as fear, shame, and uncertainty. Yet we too often lose sight of the fact that vulnerability is also the birthplace of joy, belonging, creativity, authenticity, and love.” On The Power of Vulnerability, Dr. Brown offers an invitation and a promise—that when we dare to drop the armor that protects us from feeling vulnerable, we open ourselves to the experiences that bring purpose and meaning to our lives. Here she dispels the cultural myth that vulnerability is weakness and reveals that it is, in truth, our most accurate measure of courage. Connect with us: Facebook: http://bit.ly/2XFIIeE Instagram: http://bit.ly/2UlEoiH Website: http://bit.ly/2tOl02d #BreneBrown #Vulnerability #Courage #Empathy #Authenticity #SelfAwareness #EmotionalIntelligence #Leadership #PersonalGrowth #WholeheartedLiving

Discover Polyvagal Theory's 3 anxiety states—ventral vagal, sympathetic, and dorsal vagal. Learn how to regulate your nervous system for better mental health. Join Therapy in a Nutshell’s membership: https://courses.therapyinanutshell.com/membership You'll get instant access to all 10 life-changing courses, live weekly Q&As, and a supportive community for just $27/month. Learn how to manage anxiety, process trauma, regulate emotions, and build lasting resilience so that you can live a deeply rich and meaningful life! Looking for affordable online therapy? My sponsor, BetterHelp, connects you to a licensed professional from the comfort of your own home. Try it now for 10% off your first month: https://betterhelp.com/therapyinanutshell Do you ever feel hopeless, shut down, or walled off? Or do you get triggered and feel anxious, angry, or agitated? There are essentially 3 states of your nervous system: Ventral Vagal (Safe and social) Sympathetic (Fight or Flight) and Dorsal Vagal (Shut Down). Most people aren’t able to identify which state they’re in, and then they feel helpless to change. This is especially difficult for people with trauma, which includes about ⅓ of the population. When you have trauma, your nervous system can get stuck in a hypervigilant state or a frozen, numb state. And when you can identify the states of your nervous system, you can learn skills to spend more time in the safe and social state of your nervous system. You can retrain your nervous system to be healthier. One approach to learning how to feel safe in your body is the Polyvagal approach. It’s known as the science of feeling safe. The researchers and clinicians who developed polyvagal therapy have developed a system to help people learn to turn on that safe feeling in your body, so that you can feel more calm, have better relationships, and make better choices. In this video you’re going to learn the three states that your nervous system can be in according to polyvagal theory. This will help you learn to identify what state you’re in and then use self-regulatory skills to shift your nervous system to a state of safety. 0:00 Introduction to trauma in the nervous system 2:18 What is polyvagal theory for treating trauma/childhood trauma? 5:54 Ventral vagal state 6:44 Sympathetic state 8:30 Dorsal vagal state 10:21 How to move up the ladder/somatic treatments for trauma Click the link below to access the transcript: https://therapyinanutshell.com/the-3-states-of-anxiety-in-the-nervous-system/ Learn more in one of my in-depth mental health courses: https://courses.therapyinanutshell.com/?utm_medium=YTDescription&utm_source=YouTube Support my mission on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/therapyinanutshell Sign up for my newsletter: https://courses.therapyinanutshell.com/free-resources Check out my favorite self-help books: https://kit.co/TherapyinaNutshell/best-self-help-books Check out my podcast, Therapy in a Nutshell: https://tinpodcast.podbean.com/ Therapy in a Nutshell and the information provided by Emma McAdam are solely intended for informational and entertainment purposes and are not a substitute for advice, diagnosis, or treatment regarding medical or mental health conditions. Although Emma McAdam is a licensed marriage and family therapist, the views expressed on this site or any related content should not be taken for medical or psychiatric advice. Always consult your physician before making any decisions related to your physical or mental health. In therapy I use a combination of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Systems Theory, positive psychology, and a bio-psycho-social approach to treating mental illness and other challenges we all face in life. The ideas from my videos are frequently adapted from multiple sources. Many of them come from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, especially the work of Steven Hayes, Jason Luoma, and Russ Harris. The sections on stress and the mind-body connection derive from the work of Stephen Porges (the Polyvagal theory), Peter Levine (Somatic Experiencing) Francine Shapiro (EMDR), and Bessel Van Der Kolk. I also rely heavily on the work of the Arbinger institute for my overall understanding of our ability to choose our life's direction. And deeper than all of that, the Gospel of Jesus Christ orients my personal worldview and sense of security, peace, hope, and love https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/comeuntochrist/believe If you are in crisis, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/ or 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or your local emergency services. Copyright Therapy in a Nutshell, LLC 00:00 Introduction 02:16 Polyvagal Theory 03:57 The Vagus Nerve 05:36 The Polyvagal Ladder Metaphor 05:54 #1 Safe and Social - Ventral Vagal State 06:44 #2 Fight or Flight - Parasympathetic State 08:30 #3 Shutdown - Dorsal Vagal State - 10:21 Learning to Identify the three polyvagal states

► Anxiety keeping you stuck? Talking about it only scratches the surface. Learn how to calm your nervous system without reliving the past or relying on willpower. Free training here: 🔗 https://wholebodyrevolution.com/rewire-formula We’re getting a little nerdy today and talking about the Polyvagal Theory of stress. This is something that I reference all. the. time! And while it can be complex, Polyvagal Theory is at its core quite simple. I hope you enjoy this explanation! Be sure and leave me a comment to let me know if you have any thoughts or questions about this topic. Note: this content is for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice, or as a substitute for the medical advice of a physician. Mentioned In This Video: ► Polyvagal Theory In Therapy by Deb Dana https://wholebodyrevolution.com/pvtt (Amazon) ► The Polyvagal Theory by Stephen Porges https://wholebodyrevolution.com/4t2b (Amazon) Watch This Next: ► What Is Co-Regulation? https://youtu.be/ZIuhj2YrewU Resources: ► Get instant access to the Pain Free At Any Age Course (free course): https://wholebodyrevolution.com/pfaaa ► Join 19,484+ professionals reading my weekly newsletter: https://wholebodyrevolution.com/reboot ► Download The No More Tight Muscles Guide: https://wholebodyrevolution.com/no-more-tight-muscles ► Find my favorite tools to rewire yourself for greater health, happiness and success here: https://wholebodyrevolution.com/resources Affiliate links used where possible! Timestamps: 0:00 Polyvagal Theory Explained Simply 1:07 What Is Polyvagal Theory? 1:41 Where Does Polyvagal Theory Come From? 1:54 Old Model Of The Body's Stress Response 2:47 How The Polyvagal Theory Explains Stress 3:05 The Polyvagal Ladder: 3 States Of Nervous System Activation 3:26 Ventral Vagal Social Engagement 4:49 Sympathetic Nervous System Activation (Fight or Flight) 7:08 Dorsal Vagal Shutdown 9:40 How The Body Stores Stress 13:13 Polyvagal Theory And Pain: What's The Connection? 15:12 Polyvagal Theory And Mental Focus 15:26 Polyvagal Theory and Relationships 16:11 Why Changing Your Thoughts Won't Release Stress Stored In The Body 17:42 How To Regulate Your Autonomic Nervous System -- Polyvagal Theory Explained Simply -- What is Polyvagal Theory? If you’re a nervous system geek like me, you might have heard about Stephen Porges and his Polyvagal Theory of stress, but many explanations are complex or confusing. Basically, Polyvagal Theory helps us to understand how your body processes stress from a biological standpoint. I’m not talking about the thoughts in your head here -- I’m talking about the effects of stress, both short term and prolonged, on your brain and your nervous system. This video explains Polyvagal Theory simply so you can get an idea of how stress impacts you on the neurological level. #PolyvagalTheory #VagusNerve #Neurobiology #SukieBaxter DISCLOSURE: This video description may include affiliate links. I often review or link to products & services that I find useful and recommend to help you along your journey. Wherever possible, I use affiliate referral links, which means that if you click one of the links in this video or description and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission or other compensation. I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Read our complete Disclosure at: https://bit.ly/3mrpOmS MEDICAL DISCLAIMER: This content (the video, description, links, and comments) cannot and does not contain medical/health advice. The medical/health information is provided for general informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice. Accordingly, before taking any actions based upon such information, we encourage you to consult with the appropriate professionals. We do not provide any kind of medical/health advice. THE USE OR RELIANCE OF ANY INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS CONTENT IS SOLELY AT YOUR OWN RISK. Read our full YouTube Disclaimer at: https://bit.ly/3nry9Z5

A growing body of research suggests that mental unwellness doesn’t just take a toll on our minds; it affects our physical selves as well. We need to listen to what our bodies are telling us - and care for them as diligently as we care for our thoughts. Enjoying our Youtube videos? Get full access to all our audio content, videos, and thousands of thought-provoking articles, conversation cards and more with The School of Life Subscription: https://t.ly/cn-Hx Be more mindful, present and inspired. Get the best of The School of Life delivered straight to your inbox: https://t.ly/CqoG4 FURTHER READING You can read more on this here: https://bit.ly/3frHP3d MORE SCHOOL OF LIFE Watch more films on SELF in our playlist: http://bit.ly/TSOLself SOCIAL MEDIA Feel free to follow us at the links below: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theschooloflifelondon/ X: https://twitter.com/TheSchoolOfLife Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theschooloflifelondon/ CREDITS Produced in collaboration with: Kim Alexander https://www.kimalexander.co.uk/ Title animation produced in collaboration with Vale Productions https://www.valeproductions.co.uk/

What is trauma? The author of “The Body Keeps the Score” explains, with Bessel van der Kolk Subscribe to Big Think on YouTube ►► https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvQECJukTDE2i6aCoMnS-Vg Up next ►► How to heal trauma with meaning: A case study in emotional evolution | BJ Miller https://www.youtube.com/c/bigthink/search?query=trauma Contrary to popular belief, trauma is extremely common. We all have jobs, life events, and unpleasant situations causing us daily stress. But when your body continues to re-live that stress for days, weeks, months, or even years, that stress changes your brain, creating trauma inside your mind, and that trauma can eventually manifest in your physical body. As you can see, trauma isn’t what happens to you, but how you respond to the traumatic situation. Something that is traumatic to one person may be no big deal to the next. Whether something becomes traumatic or not has a great deal to do with who’s around you while you experience this event. Were you alone and scared, were you comforted by friends and family? The problem with trauma is that it starts when something happens to us, but that’s not where it stops - it changes your brain. Once your brain changes and you’re in constant fight or flight mode, it can be hard to stay focused, feel joy, or experience pleasure until this trauma is healed. Luckily, modern psychological practices are developing innovative ways to heal from trauma that actually work. Read the video transcript: https://bigthink.com/series/the-big-think-interview/what-is-trauma/ ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About Bessel van der Kolk: Bessel van der Kolk is a psychiatrist noted for his research in the area of post-traumatic stress since the 1970s. His work focuses on the interaction of attachment, neurobiology, and developmental aspects of trauma’s effects on people. His major publication, Traumatic Stress: The Effects of Overwhelming Experience on Mind, Body, and Society, talks about how the role of trauma in psychiatric illness has changed over the past 20 years. Dr. van der Kolk is past President of the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies, Professor of Psychiatry at Boston University Medical School, and Medical Director of the Trauma Center at JRI in Brookline, Massachusetts. He has taught at universities and hospitals across the United States and around the world, including Europe, Africa, Russia, Australia, Israel, and China. Check out Bessel van der Kolk's latest book, “The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma” at https://www.amazon.com/Body-Keeps-Score-Healing-Trauma/dp/0143127748 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Read more of our stories on trauma: Trauma in childhood leads to empathy in adulthood►► https://bigthink.com/mind-brain/childhood-trauma-adult-empathy Been traumatized? Here's how PTSD rewires the brain►► https://bigthink.com/philip-perry/been-traumatized-here-is-how-ptsd-rewires-the-brain PTSD Doesn’t Only Reside in the Brain►► https://bigthink.com/philip-perry/ptsd-doesnt-only-reside-in-the-brain ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About Big Think | Smarter Faster™ ► Big Think The leading source of expert-driven, educational content. With thousands of videos, featuring experts ranging from Bill Clinton to Bill Nye, Big Think helps you get smarter, faster by exploring the big ideas and core skills that define knowledge in the 21st century. ► Big Think Edge Learn career skills from the world's top minds: https://bigth.ink/Edge ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Want more Big Think? ► Daily editorial features: https://bigthink.com/popular/ ► Get the best of Big Think right to your inbox: https://bigthink.com/st/newsletter ► Facebook: https://bigth.ink/facebook ► Instagram: https://bigth.ink/Instagram ► Twitter: https://bigth.ink/twitter

6 ways to heal trauma without medication, from the author of “The Body Keeps the Score,” Bessel van der Kolk Subscribe to Big Think on YouTube ►► https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvQECJukTDE2i6aCoMnS-Vg Up next ►► How to heal trauma with meaning: A case study in emotional evolution | BJ Miller https://youtu.be/hQAqBkKJRbs Conventional psychiatric practices tell us that if we feel bad, take this drug and it will go away. But after years of research with some of the top psychiatric practitioners in the world, we’ve found that drugs simply don’t work that well for many, and our conventional ways of healing trauma need to change. In recent years, experts in the study of trauma have been experimenting with ‘new age’ healing mechanisms that are making massive waves for trauma patients. Some of these new healing methods include EDMR, yoga, theater and movement, neural feedback, and even psychedelics. Many of these methods have proven to be more effective than conventional pharmaceuticals. But just like any other health regimen, what works for you might not work for your friend or neighbor. New age trauma therapy is all an experiment, and after enough experimenting, something can eventually work, healing your trauma in a unique and effective way. Read the video transcript: https://bigthink.com/series/the-big-think-interview/heal-trauma ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About Bessel van der Kolk: Bessel van der Kolk is a psychiatrist noted for his research in the area of post-traumatic stress since the 1970s. His work focuses on the interaction of attachment, neurobiology, and developmental aspects of trauma’s effects on people. His major publication, Traumatic Stress: The Effects of Overwhelming Experience on Mind, Body, and Society, talks about how the role of trauma in psychiatric illness has changed over the past 20 years. Dr. van der Kolk is past President of the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies, Professor of Psychiatry at Boston University Medical School, and Medical Director of the Trauma Center at JRI in Brookline, Massachusetts. He has taught at universities and hospitals across the United States and around the world, including Europe, Africa, Russia, Australia, Israel, and China. Check out Bessel van der Kolk's latest book, “The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma” at https://www.amazon.com/Body-Keeps-Score-Healing-Trauma/dp/0143127748 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Read more of our stories on healing trauma: How to Heal From Trauma ►► https://bigthink.com/personal-growth/how-to-heal-from-trauma/ How Childhood Trauma Can Make You A Sick Adult ►► https://bigthink.com/videos/vincent-felitti-on-childhood-trauma/ How to heal trauma with meaning: A case study in emotional evolution ►► https://bigthink.com/neuropsych/bj-miller-trauma/ ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About Big Think | Smarter Faster™ ► Big Think The leading source of expert-driven, educational content. With thousands of videos, featuring experts ranging from Bill Clinton to Bill Nye, Big Think helps you get smarter, faster by exploring the big ideas and core skills that define knowledge in the 21st century. ► Big Think+ Learn career skills from the world's top minds: https://bigthink.com/plus/ ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Want more Big Think? ► Daily editorial features: https://bigthink.com/popular/ ► Get the best of Big Think right to your inbox: https://bigthink.com/st/newsletter ► Facebook: https://bigth.ink/facebook ► Instagram: https://bigth.ink/Instagram ► Twitter: https://bigth.ink/twitter

Shame is an unspoken epidemic, the secret behind many forms of broken behavior. Brené Brown explores what can happen when people confront their shame head-on. Her own humor, humanity and vulnerability shine through every word. (A clip from Brené Brown's TED Talk "Listening to shame" from TED2012. To watch the full talk, click here: https://tedtalks.social/vulnerability) Visit http://TED.com to get our entire library of TED Talks, transcripts, translations, personalized talk recommendations and more. The TED Talks channel features the best talks and performances from the TED Conference, where the world's leading thinkers and doers give the talk of their lives in 18 minutes (or less). Look for talks on Technology, Entertainment and Design -- plus science, business, global issues, the arts and more. You're welcome to link to or embed these videos, forward them to others and share these ideas with people you know. Become a TED Member: http://ted.com/membership Follow TED on Twitter: http://twitter.com/TEDTalks Like TED on Facebook: http://facebook.com/TED Subscribe to our channel: http://youtube.com/TED TED's videos may be used for non-commercial purposes under a Creative Commons License, Attribution–Non Commercial–No Derivatives (or the CC BY – NC – ND 4.0 International) and in accordance with our TED Talks Usage Policy (https://www.ted.com/about/our-organization/our-policies-terms/ted-talks-usage-policy). For more information on using TED for commercial purposes (e.g. employee learning, in a film or online course), please submit a Media Request at https://media-requests.ted.com

Visit http://TED.com to get our entire library of TED Talks, transcripts, translations, personalized talk recommendations and more. Brené Brown studies human connection -- our ability to empathize, belong, love. In a poignant, funny talk at TEDxHouston, she shares a deep insight from her research, one that sent her on a personal quest to know herself as well as to understand humanity. A talk to share. The TED Talks channel features the best talks and performances from the TED Conference, where the world's leading thinkers and doers give the talk of their lives in 18 minutes (or less). Look for talks on Technology, Entertainment and Design -- plus science, business, global issues, the arts and more. You're welcome to link to or embed these videos, forward them to others and share these ideas with people you know. Follow TED on Twitter: http://twitter.com/TEDTalks Like TED on Facebook: http://facebook.com/TED Subscribe to our channel: http://youtube.com/TED TED's videos may be used for non-commercial purposes under a Creative Commons License, Attribution–Non Commercial–No Derivatives (or the CC BY – NC – ND 4.0 International) and in accordance with our TED Talks Usage Policy (https://www.ted.com/about/our-organization/our-policies-terms/ted-talks-usage-policy). For more information on using TED for commercial purposes (e.g. employee learning, in a film or online course), please submit a Media Request at https://media-requests.ted.com