Getting Past Your Past by Francine Shapiro Summary
Overview of Getting Past Your Past
Trapped by your past trauma? Dr. Francine Shapiro's groundbreaking EMDR therapy guide has transformed countless lives with its "magical" techniques. With a stellar 4.14 Goodreads rating, discover why readers claim this book could have saved them "30 years of self-sabotage."
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Key takeaways
When Your Past Shows Up Uninvited
A woman walks into a grocery store and freezes at the sight of red apples. Her heart races, palms sweat, and suddenly she's six years old again, cowering as her father's face turns crimson with rage. Another person sits in a business meeting, fully prepared and competent, yet the moment they're asked to speak, their voice cracks and their mind floods with the words "I'm stupid"-echoes from a classroom humiliation decades ago. These aren't character flaws. They're the fingerprints of unprocessed memories, moments when our brains couldn't fully digest what happened, leaving fragments of the past lodged in our present like shrapnel. What if the anxiety you feel today isn't really about today at all? What if your brain is simply replaying old footage, mistaking then for now? This is the central revelation behind EMDR therapy-a treatment so effective that the World Health Organization endorses it as a first-line intervention for trauma, and over 100,000 therapists worldwide have been trained in its methods. We're taught that time heals all wounds, but anyone carrying old trauma knows this isn't quite true. Your brain contains a natural processing system, often working during REM sleep, that helps you digest difficult experiences-extracting lessons while releasing negative emotions. But overwhelming experiences can jam this system, leaving memories stored in their raw, unprocessed form, complete with original images, emotions, physical sensations, and thoughts. These frozen memories sit waiting, ready to be triggered by similar present-day situations, causing reactions that seem wildly disproportionate to what's actually happening.
The Invisible Autopilot Running Your Life
How EMDR Rewires the Brain
Tracing the Roots of Your Reactions
Tools for Managing Your Inner Storm and When Your Body Remembers
Breaking Free to Build Better Connections
The Path Forward Starts Within
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From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
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"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
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