Connection, Vulnerability, Shame, & Empathy

[Emerson]

This is a short 8 minute talk by Brené Brown, PhD, a researcher at the University of Houston.  I am posting this talk here because of what she explains about Connection, Empathy, Shame, and Vulnerability.  

Connection is our ability to forge meaningful authentic connections with other people.  If you think about connection on a continuum on one end is anchored by Empathy.  It is what moves us toward deep meaningful connection.  On the other end of the continuum is Shame.  Shame absolutely unravels our relationships and our connection with other people. 

It seems for many of us we wobble along that continuum.  According to Brené Brown, the more we wallow in feeling ashamed of our deficits the harder it is for us to stay connected to those we love.  

 

This is a good talk.  Spend the next 8 minutes watching it.  I don't know if this link is working to put it in here.  If it looks like gobblygook then click on this: Shame & Empathy.

 

I have watched two other talks by this same woman over and over recently.  Here is a link to The Power of Vulnerability which is a talk she gave at the TEDx event in Houston, and here is another on The Price of Invulnerability given at the TEDx event in KC - which I assume stands for Kansas City.  Click on the titles and they will take you to the talks on Youtube.

 

Now mind you, this is not me preaching to anyone about this!  I am watching all of these videos trying to understand my own issues with being vulnerable and having deep connection with people.  I am sharing these here in case they are helpful to other TBI survivors too.  HTH.

[Kat Z]

Thanks for sharing the video links.  It's difficult enough to deal with everything, and harder still when trapped in an ever-tightening spiral of shame and blame...  Gotta let it go.  Besides, what's done is done, and there is no way to go back and change the past.  Just gotta let it go, and try to make today a better day.  That begins with being nicer to self, and being kinder to self.  Self is doing the best it can to survive, to cope, to make sense of the chaos, to connect with others, to find something positive...    I know I have to cut MYself some slack...     

[Ricky Myers]

I know i go though lots of shame it can be un bearable sometimes

 

[Joyce]

stuff just happens, what does one do except try to make the best of it

[ADORIA]

so true we need to relearn to connect with people or be lonely for ever

[Matt Kramer]

and not to forget how easily we are exploited and its our friends and family who do this the most, love it when folks say you look fine to me, all of this is so true thanks for sharing

[Greg]

it is so hard figuring out just what our issues are, mind boggling actually

[Tom]

Thanks Em!!  I really enjoyed these.