Loss, trauma, and grief are all part the human experience, with varying psychological responses amongst individuals. Dr. George Bonanno (Teachers College, Columbia University) explores this diversity, focusing heavily on the concept of resilience. His findings suggest a greater inherent capacity for resilience than commonly recognized. In his book "The End of Trauma," he discusses cognitive flexibility, or regulatory flexibility, as a crucial element in resilience, exploring whether these strategies are innate or learned. Dr. Bonanno's shares more about his specific research directions and lab's work, including studies with veterans adapting from military to civilian life, seeks to understand and identify these flexibility strategies. During our conversation, he shares an amusing encounter he had with a groundhog and how he connects it to his theories on these flexibility mindsets. 

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Listen for thought-provoking and pleasantly surprising ideas!