The Mel Robbins Podcast
Why You Feel Lost in Life: Dr. Gabor Maté on Trauma & How to Heal
24 Mar 2025
If you feel lost or stuck in life, today’s episode will help you understand the root cause of trauma and how childhood experiences shape you throughout your life. Understanding your trauma is the key to healing. Your past doesn’t define you—but it does shape you. And today, world-renowned physician and bestselling author Dr. Gabor Maté is here to break it all down. Dr. Maté, a leading expert on trauma, shares insights on this topic unlike anything you have heard before. In this powerful conversation, he reveals how childhood experiences—whether you realize it or not—impact your relationships, self-worth, and the way you navigate life. You’ll learn why trauma, stress, addiction, and people-pleasing aren’t just personality traits but survival patterns formed in your early years. And most importantly, you’ll discover that while what happened to you isn’t your fault, healing is your responsibility. This conversation will challenge the way you see yourself—and give you the tools to take control of your future. For more resources, click here for the podcast episode page. If you enjoyed this episode with Dr. Gabor Maté, listen to his first appearance, where he dives deep into the connection between trauma, ADHD, and autoimmune disease: Dr. Gabor Maté: The Shocking Link Between ADHD, Addiction, Autoimmune Diseases, & TraumaConnect with Mel: Get Mel’s #1 bestselling book, The Let Them TheoryWatch the episodes on YouTubeFollow Mel on Instagram The Mel Robbins Podcast InstagramMel's TikTok Sign up for Mel’s personal letter Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes ad-freeDisclaimer
Full Episode
Hey, it's your friend Mel, and welcome to the Mel Robbins Podcast. I am so glad that you chose to listen to this episode, because today I've got somebody in our Boston studios whose work has fundamentally changed my life. This person has helped me understand exactly how my childhood shaped who I became as an adult. And today he's going to do the exact same thing for you.
Because what's happened to you in your past, first of all, it's not your fault. But it is your responsibility to yourself to do the work that you need to do in order to heal, to grow, to become healthier and happier. And today you're going to learn exactly how to do it.
You're also going to learn that no matter what it is that you may have survived in your childhood, it does not define who you are or who you can become. You're going to get a roadmap to better understanding yourself and also how you can connect with your true self. The extraordinary Dr. Gabor Mate is here.
He's written five books on the topic of childhood development, trauma, stress, ADHD, addiction, all of which are New York Times bestsellers. And it has taken me two years to get him to our studios here in Boston because he is in that much demand globally. Dr. Maté is going to help you understand exactly how your childhood shaped you.
You're also going to learn more than 10 surprising ways that trauma is created in childhood, even if you didn't realize it, and how it is probably still impacting you to this day right now. Hey, it's your friend Mel. I am so thrilled that you're here with me. It is always an honor to be able to spend time together with you. If you're brand new, welcome to the Mel Robbins Podcast.
And I know because you chose to listen to this episode that you're the type of person who values your time. And you're also interested in learning about ways that you can improve your life. I love that. I love that you're listening to this episode. And you want to know what else I love? I love that you and I are going to get to spend time learning from the extraordinary Dr. Gabor Mate.
Dr. Maté is a world-renowned physician and best-selling author whose work dives deep into childhood development and the impact of trauma on how it shapes your mental and physical health over your lifetime. Dr. Maté has completely transformed how the world sees, talks about, and understands trauma. And he has absolutely had that impact on me, and it's been life-changing.
I promise you, this episode is going to shift the way you see everything, how you show up for yourself, how you connect with the people you love, and why you experience life the way that you do. It's going to help you understand why coping has become your default and how you can move toward true healing. I am so excited for both you and me.
So please, please, please help me welcome the extraordinary Dr. Gabor Mate to the Mel Robbins Podcast. I am so excited to welcome you, Dr. Gabor Mate, to the Mel Robbins Podcast.
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