The Unexpected Gift of Trauma: Finding Growth After Pain with Dr. Edith Shiro

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Dr. Edith Shiro is a highly respected clinical psychologist, author, and speaker specializing in trauma and post-traumatic growth. She co-founded the Trauma and Resilience Center in Miami, Florida, and is the author of The Unexpected Gift of Trauma: The Path to Post-Traumatic Growth. As the granddaughter of a Holocaust survivor and a Syrian refugee, Dr. Shiro's personal history deeply informs her work, inspiring her mission to help individuals break cycles of generational trauma. Growing up as a Jewish woman in Venezuela before immigrating to the U.S. to pursue her education and career, she embodies resilience and transformation. 

In this episode, Mathew, Dr. Dave Leicken, and Dr. Edith Shiro dive into the complex and deeply personal topic of generational trauma, exploring how it is not only passed down through learned behaviors but is embedded in our genetics. Dr. Shiro shares the stages needed to get to post-traumatic growth, starting with radical acceptance of one's experiences. They explore the idea that trauma, though painful, can hold unexpected gifts. The conversation sheds light on the inevitability of trauma as part of the human experience, how its impact is deeply subjective, and what it takes to shift from suffering to growth. They also discuss the importance of timing, knowing when you’re truly ready to heal, and the difference between letting go and not caring. Finally, they address the critical role of support, distinguishing between helpful and harmful support groups and how to recognize if the people you turn to are aiding your healing or keeping you stuck in pain.

“Let’s understand what trauma is…Anything that can happen to you that shakes or shatters your belief system about yourself, about the other, about the world, for which you don’t have tools or you don’t have resources to deal with.” -Dr. Shiro

“Time is a myth because you can’t say ‘Time heals all’. It’s what you do with time.” - Dr. Shiro

“Yes we get passed on traumas, but we also get passed on treasures, and we also get passed on wisdom.” -Dr. Shiro

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