The Joy Reset - by Marycatherine McDonald (Paperback)

About the Book

"While the research on resilience, joy, gratitude, hope, and posttraumatic growth proves unequivocally that these emotions are healing to anyone struggling, we haven't yet found a way to truly adapt it into actionable tools for people with a trauma history. To bridge this gap, Dr. MaryCatherine McDonald has reframed these concepts and created new interventions for anyone who struggles to feel at home with joy. In The Joy Reset, Dr. McDonald identifies the six common barriers that prevent people from accessing joy: Hypervigilance, Emotional numbing, Fear of loss, Conditioning, Guilt, Shame. Dr. McDonald helps readers to recognize that these trauma responses are adaptive-and protective. When readers have the tools to name and identify these "thieves," they can then redefine the positive emotions of hope and joy as those tenacious, gritty, often tiny experiences that appear within the darkest moments and form the very foundation of psychological resilience. Rooted in the neurobiology that explains how and why trauma and suffering can impede our path to hope and joy, The Joy Reset offers exercises that make joy and gratitude both bite-sized and accessible, inviting readers to welcome these emotions back in. By emphasizing the very real ways that joy and hope show up even in our toughest moments, The Joy Reset empowers readers to find the light in the dark--no matter what"--

Book Synopsis

From the "Brené Brown of trauma" comes a groundbreaking, actionable guide to healing trauma through a reframing and adaptation of Positive Psychology.

Joy can feel complicated, especially to someone who is struggling. Against the very real darkness that life offers up, a chorus of "but do you have a gratitude journal?" or "have you tried yoga?" can feel isolating and dismissive. And yet, the research on resilience, joy, gratitude, hope, and post-traumatic growth proves unequivocally that these emotions are healing. When it comes to deploying that research and adapting it into actionable tools for people with a history of trauma, psychology falls desperately short. To bridge this gap, Dr. MaryCatherine McDonald has reframed these concepts and created new interventions for anyone who struggles to feel at home with joy.

In The Joy Reset, Dr. McDonald helps readers identify barriers that prevent them from accessing joy--hypervigilance, emotional numbing, fear of loss, conditioning, guilt, and shame--and then redefines positive emotions as those tenacious, gritty, often tiny experiences that appear within the darkest moments and form the very foundation of psychological resilience. Rooted in the neurobiology that explains how and why trauma and suffering can impede our path to hope and joy, Dr. McDonald shares exercises that make joy and gratitude both bite-sized and accessible, inviting readers to welcome these emotions back in.

By emphasizing the very real ways that joy and hope show up even in our toughest moments, The Joy Reset empowers readers to find the light in the dark--no matter what.

Review Quotes

"This isn't just a book; it's a lifeline. It's not just about finding joy; it's about rediscovering your power to cultivate it in the darkest moments of life. MaryCatherine is a fierce, compassionate guide--like that friend who tells you the truth and then stays by your side as you transform your life."--Mel Robbins, New York Times bestselling author, host of The Mel Robbins Podcast

"I call MaryCatherine the Brené Brown of trauma. She normalizes trauma and helps us get rid of shame so that we can accept our stories fully and embrace our humanness―something that we need now in the world more than ever."--John Kim, aka The Angry Therapist

"Unbroken is a fascinating new book from an emerging philosophical talent."--Simon Critchley, former New York Times editor of The Stone column

About the Author

MaryCatherine McDonald is a research professor and life coach who specializes in the psychology and philosophy of trauma. Her work focuses on thinking critically about how we understand, define, and heal from traumatic experiences. She has published several research articles and book chapters, as well as three books on trauma. In addition to her academic work, Dr. McDonald coaches individuals and corporations and creates trauma-based curriculum for non-profit organizations and schools.