Hidden Brain - Healing 2.0: Change Your Story, Change Your Life

We all tell stories about ourselves, often without realizing we’re doing so. How we frame those stories can profoundly shape our lives. In the kickoff episode to our month-long series on healing, psychologist Jonathan Adler shares how to tell our stories in ways that enhance our wellbeing.

Duration: 1h 2m
Broadcast on: 30 Oct 2023
Audio Format: other

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This is Hidden Brain, I'm Shankar Vedanta. When Leon Flasher was a small child, his older brother took piano lessons. The brother didn't much care for them. But afterwards, little Leon would climb onto the piano bench and play, note for note, the pieces his brother had practiced. That's when his mother realized Leon was the one who should study the instrument. Leon Flasher made his debut at Carnegie Hall in 1944. He was just 16 years old. Flasher, who has performed Brahms piano concerto number one in D minor. A New York Times music critic said this performance established him as one of the most remarkably gifted of the younger generation of American keyboard artists. He went on to perform with the world's top orchestras throughout the 1950s and early 60s. Pause his story here, and Leon Flasher's life is a triumph. But then, something unexpected happened. He started to notice an odd stiffness in his right index finger. His fourth and fifth finger started curling under. The pain and stiffness grew steadily worse. Within a matter of months, his career as a concert pianist was virtually over. As you can well imagine without becoming melodramatic, it was I was in a very despairing state of depression for about two years. If we were to take stock of Leon Flasher's life at this point, we might say it was a tragedy. But Leon Flasher still had so much music in him, so he reinvented himself, becoming a much admired conductor and teacher. Meanwhile, he continued to try every available measure to heal his right hand. Eventually, a combination of Botox injections and deep tissue massage started to help. In 2003, Leon Flasher made a triumphant return to Carnegie Hall. He was 75 years old. The next year, he released a CD, his first two-handed recording in over 40 years. Today, we kick off a month-long series that we are calling Healing 2.0. We look at the nature of loss and also a mind-bending idea about whether we should try to do away with grief altogether. Plus, we explore whether trauma really does make us stronger and how to craft an apology. This week on Hidden Brain, how the way we understand the ups and downs of our lives can shape the ups and downs of our lives. Support for Hidden Brain comes from Air France. Air France business cabin offers comfort throughout the journey with priority check-in, boarding and lounge access. On board, enjoy menus from renowned French chefs, wines and champagne selected by a Sommelier and free high-speed Wi-Fi. When it's time to rest, settle into a fully adjustable, life-flat bed with added mattress comfort. The art of travel, elevated, because Air France business cabin goes further in every detail to make your journey exceptional. Support for Hidden Brain comes from Land Rover. Even the boldest journey starts small with a single decision to go somewhere new. Purpose-built and courage-driven, the Defender 110 combines on-road presence with off-road capability. It looks tough because it is with a raised hood and an exterior engineered for durability. Inside, capability meets comfort with seating for five and the option for seven plus refined finishes and thoughtful design. The Defender event is on now. Explore enhanced offers at Land RoverUSA.com. Support for Hidden Brain comes from Progressive. Whoever says saving money is hard, doesn't know that new customers who bundle and save with Progressive save hundreds. Because switching your home and auto insurance is better than cutting down on those iced lattes you love. Switch to Progressive and see if you could save. Get your quote today at Progressive.com, Progressive Casualty Insurance Company, affiliates and other insurers, not available in all states. As we make our way through life, it can feel as if we are buffeted by a swiftly moving series of events. Sometimes, it's all we can do to keep our heads above water as we wait for the next wave to crash over us.

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