Ep. 21. Dr Lisa Shulman:The Brain Science of Loss

Dr. Lisa Shulman is an award winning neuroscientist and prolific author including of the truly singular book:"Before and After Loss: A Neurologist's Perspective on Loss, Grief and Our Brain." In her conversation with Meghan, Dr. Shulman talks about how the brain cannot distinguish between the emotional trauma of bear attack versus the emotional trauma of a sudden attachment loss, discusses her husband's death from cancer and how it gave her work a much more personal perspective, and frames traumatic loss as a chronic condition we will need to treat for the rest of our lives.

This is a PACKED episode you do NOT want to miss.

"In Before and After Loss, neurologist Dr. Lisa M. Shulman describes a personal story of loss and her journey to understand the science behind the mind-altering experience of grief. Part memoir, part creative nonfiction, part account of scientific discovery, this moving book combines Shulman's perspectives as an expert in brain science and a keen observer of behavior with her experience as a clinician, a caregiver, and a widow. Drawing on the latest studies about grief and its effects, she explains what scientists know about how the mind, brain, and body respond and heal following traumatic loss. She also traces the interface between the experience of profound loss and the search for emotional restoration.

Combining the science of emotional trauma with concrete psychological techniques— including dream interpretation, journaling, mindfulness exercises, and meditation—Shulman's frank and empathetic account will help readers regain their emotional balance by navigating the passage from profound sorrow to healing and growth."

https://jhupbooks.press.jhu.edu/title/and-after-loss