Dr. Wendy Suzuki

These are memories dependent on a structure called the amygdala that, again, are trying to protect you, like don't have this happen again, and steer you away from events. So I might have been steered away from eulogies or speaking in front of crowds, which I do all the time, but yeah, I would have been steered away from eulogies. When you have these

These are memories dependent on a structure called the amygdala that, again, are trying to protect you, like don't have this happen again, and steer you away from events. So I might have been steered away from eulogies or speaking in front of crowds, which I do all the time, but yeah, I would have been steered away from eulogies. When you have these

broader realizations about what's going on, you could actually learn in a deeper way from them. And instead of being steered away, instead of developing a fear memory that is very strong and hard to get rid of, you can have a deeper learning that sharing those very personal, very deep, very difficult emotions to feel. Talk about new synapses forming.

broader realizations about what's going on, you could actually learn in a deeper way from them. And instead of being steered away, instead of developing a fear memory that is very strong and hard to get rid of, you can have a deeper learning that sharing those very personal, very deep, very difficult emotions to feel. Talk about new synapses forming.

is a deeply cathartic process that brought me closer to my family and to everybody that was there, including all my brother's friends, many of whom I didn't know. So yeah.

is a deeply cathartic process that brought me closer to my family and to everybody that was there, including all my brother's friends, many of whom I didn't know. So yeah.

Yeah, I think I wouldn't recommend that everybody goes out to try and prepare for trauma, but everybody has some form of trauma. And I think... going back to your superpower of anxiety and learning, learning from that. And also realizing, this was another big realization for me, you're not going to get rid of that deep negative emotion.

Yeah, I think I wouldn't recommend that everybody goes out to try and prepare for trauma, but everybody has some form of trauma. And I think... going back to your superpower of anxiety and learning, learning from that. And also realizing, this was another big realization for me, you're not going to get rid of that deep negative emotion.

It's there for a reason to warn you against, this is a bad time. If you didn't have this warning, you would be walking in the middle of the freeway with no care in the world. So you're not going to get rid of that. But to focus yourself on the learning that comes out of it and that, yes, it might take some time and to give yourself that time.

It's there for a reason to warn you against, this is a bad time. If you didn't have this warning, you would be walking in the middle of the freeway with no care in the world. So you're not going to get rid of that. But to focus yourself on the learning that comes out of it and that, yes, it might take some time and to give yourself that time.

Maybe what I'm trying to get at is the self-compassion that can come from any trauma that you have and learning to apply that to yourself, I think, is a really good thing that you can do. Prepare.

Maybe what I'm trying to get at is the self-compassion that can come from any trauma that you have and learning to apply that to yourself, I think, is a really good thing that you can do. Prepare.

Well, if I could answer that, that would be the $64 million question. And actually part of the answer is the brain evolved to help us remember things those lessons around dangerous situations that we have. So we don't go in that direction anymore. Yes, we might forget, but actually our brain has evolved to make those kinds of fear memories or difficulty memories the hardest to get rid of.

Well, if I could answer that, that would be the $64 million question. And actually part of the answer is the brain evolved to help us remember things those lessons around dangerous situations that we have. So we don't go in that direction anymore. Yes, we might forget, but actually our brain has evolved to make those kinds of fear memories or difficulty memories the hardest to get rid of.

That is why PTSD is so hard to get rid of. And those you don't want to be carrying around. So I would ask a flip question, which is, How come we don't relive our most glorious memories more often in our lives? And in fact, I think of that because that is my favorite brain hack from good anxiety, which are tools that you can use to decrease your anxiety. And this tool is called joy conditioning.

That is why PTSD is so hard to get rid of. And those you don't want to be carrying around. So I would ask a flip question, which is, How come we don't relive our most glorious memories more often in our lives? And in fact, I think of that because that is my favorite brain hack from good anxiety, which are tools that you can use to decrease your anxiety. And this tool is called joy conditioning.

And it is designed specifically to counter fear conditioning dependent on the amygdala. Joy conditioning is dependent on another structure called the hippocampus, which allows us to formally retain our everyday memories for events. And so joy conditioning is simply using all the tools that we know about neuroscience that make those kinds of memories stick, which is reliving them.

And it is designed specifically to counter fear conditioning dependent on the amygdala. Joy conditioning is dependent on another structure called the hippocampus, which allows us to formally retain our everyday memories for events. And so joy conditioning is simply using all the tools that we know about neuroscience that make those kinds of memories stick, which is reliving them.

I just went on a beautiful week-long yoga breath work. It was actually not yoga, breath work retreat. And I completely unplugged. And so what I'm practicing my joy conditioning on is what it felt to be in that circle every day, every morning, every afternoon. I remember that the ocean was so loud. We were right by the sea. The heat was so hot.

I just went on a beautiful week-long yoga breath work. It was actually not yoga, breath work retreat. And I completely unplugged. And so what I'm practicing my joy conditioning on is what it felt to be in that circle every day, every morning, every afternoon. I remember that the ocean was so loud. We were right by the sea. The heat was so hot.