Do THIS Every Day to Rewire Your Brain From Stress and Anxiety

ℹ️ EPISODE INFO

Released

April 27, 2026

Duration

1h 10m

Channel

The Mel Robbins Podcast

Watch on YouTube

▶ Open ↗

📝 EPISODE DESCRIPTION

What you learn today will make you forever calmer and more in control of your emotions. If you’ve ever had a moment where you thought: “Why does one email, one comment…ruin my day?” “Why do I always get overwhelmed by the littlest things?” “Why am I like this?” This conversation gives you the answer. In this episode, Dr. Burke Harris explains why so many of the patterns you hate, like being reactive, shutting down, people-pleasing, not being able to follow through, and feeling dread for no reason, are not your “personality flaws” – and she gives you the truth. Dr. Nadine Burke Harris, MD, is one of the most important voices in trauma science and public health. She’s a pediatrician who conducted pioneering research on Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), the founder of the Center for Youth Wellness, and the former Surgeon General of the State of California. She is here to tell you that your body is running an overactive stress response that got wired in childhood and never got turned off. You will be able to start rewiring your nervous system today, with one powerful 3-word sentence you can say to yourself. It takes less than a few minutes and reverses the feelings that make life harder than it should be. In this episode, you’ll learn: -Why you shut down sometimes, get emotional, “triggered”, or overwhelmed (and why it’s not your fault) -Why you procrastinate even when it feels bad -How childhood trauma affects health across a lifetime -Why trauma is (Mel had it wrong for decades) and how childhood trauma is keeping you stuck -How to help your body return to balance after being upset -The 3 essential words that rewire your nervous system -The 7 evidence-based things you can do to regulate your nervous system -How to support someone you love who’s stuck, shut down, or overwhelmed in their life This episode is hopeful, practical, and empowering. You will get a playbook that helps you rewire your nervous system so you feel less stress and more in control of your emotions. When you finally understand what’s happening in your body, you can have a different life. For more resources related to today’s episode, click here for the podcast episode page: https://www.melrobbins.com/episode/episode-390/ Follow The Mel Robbins Podcast on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themelrobbinspodcast I’m just your friend. I am not a licensed therapist, and this podcast is NOT intended as a substitute for the advice of a physician, professional coach, psychotherapist, or other qualified professional. In this episode: 00:00 Intro 1:59 The Impact Of Stress On Your Biology 5:14 What Is Trauma and Its Effects? 7:50 How Childhood Trauma Can Impact Your Life 14:30 The Top 10 Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) That Can Cause Trauma 19:23 What Is Buffering? 29:28 What Baby Rats Teach Us About Overcoming Trauma 33:39 How Does Your Body Remember Trauma? 46:55 Daily Self Regulation Practices for Adults 54:06 Willpower Or Biology: What’s in Control? 1:02:47 Hopeful Signs You are Healing From Trauma 1:04:54 How To Help Someone You Love Who Has Experienced Trauma 1:06:09 How To Heal From Trauma — Follow Mel: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melrobbins/ TikTok: http://tiktok.com/@melrobbins Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/melrobbins LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melrobbins Website: http://melrobbins.com​ — Sign up for Mel’s newsletter: https://melrob.co/sign-up-newsletter A note from Mel to you, twice a week, sharing simple, practical ways to build the life you want. — Subscribe to Mel’s channel here: https://www.youtube.com/melrobbins​?sub_confirmation=1 — Listen to The Mel Robbins Podcast 🎧 New episodes drop every Monday & Thursday! https://melrob.co/spotify https://melrob.co/applepodcasts https://melrob.co/amazonmusic

🎤 SPEAKERS

• Mel Robbins

  host

  Host of The Mel Robbins Podcast and motivational author/speaker focused on behavior change and personal development.

• Dr. Nadine Burke Harris

  guest

  Physician and public health leader known for research and advocacy on childhood trauma, toxic stress, and ACEs.

🧾 EPISODE SUMMARY

In this episode of The Mel Robbins Podcast, featuring Mel Robbins and Dr. Nadine Burke Harris, Do THIS Every Day to Rewire Your Brain From Stress and Anxiety explores how childhood stress shapes biology—and daily buffering rewires your nervous system Trauma is defined not as what happened to you but as your body’s biological response to overwhelming stress, which can stay activated long after the danger has passed.

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