Trauma-Informed Lens Podcast
Episode 86: Big Idea Series: The Divided Brain
Posted on June 18, 2019
Welcome to the first podcast in our Big Idea Series where we explore the intersection of some of the biggest and most powerful ideas in history and modern science using Johnathan Haidt’s The Happiness Hypothesis as our guide. In this episode, we put the trauma-informed lens on the idea of the divided self. Throughout history, great thinkers used analogies to speak to the distinct, and often contradictory, nature of human behavior. In trauma research, we see extreme examples of the divided self in dissociation and intense emotional swings that seem illogical to the uninformed observer.
Discussion Questions:
- How have you seen the divide self manifest in your work with those you serve?
- Do you have any insight into the divided nature of your own thinking and behavior?
- How could you use Haidt’s analogy of the rider and elephant to help those you serve to gain a great understanding of their own behaviors?
- Think about the committee inside your head, who is a part of your committee and what are their influences on your personal narrative?