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For the last two decades, Brené Brown has been on a mission to foster deephuman connection. A professor at the University of Houston Graduate College of Social Work, she’s dedicated much of her research to topics such asvulnerability,empathy, love, and courage.
Her work has culminated in a series of New York Times bestseller books—which have been translated into over 30 languages—and you can catch her as the host of two award-winning podcasts: Unlocking Us and Dare to Lead.
Brené Brown is one of our top 25 thought leaders, experts, and advocates making a difference in mental health.See 2023 Honorees
Brené Brown is one of our top 25 thought leaders, experts, and advocates making a difference in mental health.
See 2023 Honorees
If all that weren’t impressive enough, Brown’s also the first researcher with a filmed lecture streaming on Netflix, and in March 2022, HBO debuted a show that focuses on her recent book, “Atlas of the Heart.”
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Brené Brown’s Research
Brené Brown focuses her research on human connection—our unique ability to empathize with others,our desire and ability to belong, and our capacity to love deeply.
As a doctoral student, she says that the power of statistics and “the clean lines of quantitative research” were appealing to her, but along the way she fell in love with the richness and depth of qualitative research.
“Storytelling is my DNA, and I couldn’t resist the idea of research as storycatching," Brown writes on her website.“Stories are data with a soul and no methodology honors that more than grounded theory. The mandate of grounded theory is to develop theories based on people’s lived experiences rather than proving or disproving existing theories.”
After 15 years of research, she says she was sure about one thing in particular: that human connection is why we are here. It’s the very glue that gives us purpose in our day-to-day lives.
—BRENÉ BROWN, PHD, MSW
This notion was further cemented in her research when she pinpointed that a primary concern people have about connection is an actualfear of disconnection. Such fear often arises when we doubt or belittle ourselves, ruminate on failures or feelshame, or question our worthiness of belonging to enriching relationships.
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Her Impact On Mental Health
To say that Brené Brown has profoundly impacted the mental health space would be an understatement. Her words are deeply compelling and shine a light on complex feelings such as vulnerability, shame, love, andregret.
Through her candor, humor, and storytelling, Brown is able to break down complicated topics in a way that resonates with people who’ve felt lost,hopeless, unsure, and unheard. She’s even tapped into the hearts and psyche of people who may have realized, through hearing her speak, they still had room to grow.
A viewer on her TEDxHouston talk writes, “She has been able to articulate feelings that I have had, but I have been unable to name. She has helped me understand my own personal battle with addiction better, and my struggles with anxiety. Her research is poignant, and her presentation style is engaging.”
Brown’s books have earned similar accolades from everyday people, as well. One reviewer who read “Atlas of the Heart” writes, “Brené explains emotions in a way I’ve never experienced, and I’ve been on my path to know myself for 30 years … Thank you Brené. You have changed ‘me.’”
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Connect With Brené Brown’s Work
Since beginning her career in mental health, Brown has dedicated her time and research to understanding how humans connect and how we can be better for ourselves and for each other—and it’s why we’ve chosen her as one of the Verywell Mind 25.
TEDx Talks
Podcasts
Books
The 7 Best Self-Help Books to Change Your Life
1 SourceVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Brené Brown.Research.
1 Source
Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Brené Brown.Research.
Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Brené Brown.Research.
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