Donna developed a serious auto-immune disease when she was a new mom. A simple viral infection left her hospitalized and paralyzed as her body turned against her very own nerve cells. With proper medical care and over time, she was able to walk again. But some symptoms lingered and when she would describe to doctors the neurological symptoms she also faced: depression, memory loss, brain fog, the answer was “well, of course, you’re dealing with so much pain and stress!” But Donna had a hunch that her symptoms were more than the results of the stress caused by her severe illness, and over years of research, she found out that she was indeed right. Very recent scientific discoveries are completely changing our understanding of the brain. And her reporting provides a radical new way of thinking about the brain and its interaction with the rest of the body. Donna provides essential and paradigm-shifting information for anyone who has suffered from depression, Alzheimer’s, or auto-immune diseases.
Read MoreJoyelle was sexually abused at 11 by a high-school boy, which became the grounds for bullying and isolation. As an adult, she thrived and became a talented vocalist and teacher. Joyelle felt like she had done the work of dealing with her past traumas: she had gone to therapy, practiced yoga and meditation. And then she had kids and her trauma came barging in. Postpartum depression hit hard and she felt so isolated and shameful. She knew she could not be alone, struggling to parent with PTSD, and so she created an online community and published a book. And she became a coach, to help others parents with trauma learn how to heal and break the cycle.
Read MoreCissy grew up in Hell, as she puts it. Hyper-competent and emotionally disconnected, she managed to keep her trauma at bay, until it came crashing in in the form of panic attacks in college. She was diagnosed with PTSD and started therapy, but her redemption came through writing and through mothering her adopted child. Through mothering she realized what she truly missed as a child: to feel safe, to be seen, to be loved. It's not the bad stuff that happened to her that matter the most, it's what was missing. Once she could see that, she could heal.
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