2023 Paraeducator Book Study - What Happened to You?

What Happened to You?  
Authors: Dr. Bruce Perry and Oprah Winfrey,   
Facilitated by Betsy Cox 

 Our earliest experiences shape our lives far down the road, and What Happened to You? Provides powerful scientific and emotional insights into the behavioral patterns so many of us struggle to understand. “Through this lens we can build a renewed sense of personal self-worth and ultimately recalibrate our responses to circumstances, situations, and relationships. It is, in other words, the key to reshaping our very lives.”―Oprah Winfrey 

This book is going to change the way you see your life. Have you ever wondered "Why did I do that?" or "Why can't I just control my behavior?" Others may judge our reactions and think, "What's wrong with that person?" When questioning our emotions, it's easy to place the blame on ourselves; holding ourselves and those around us to an impossible standard. It's time we started asking a different question. 

Through deeply personal conversations, Oprah Winfrey and renowned brain and trauma expert Dr. Bruce Perry offer a groundbreaking and profound shift from asking “What’s wrong with you?” to “What happened to you?” Winfrey shares stories from her own past, understanding through experience the vulnerability that comes from facing trauma and adversity at a young age. In conversation throughout the book, she and Dr. Perry focus on understanding people, behavior, and ourselves. It’s a subtle but profound shift in our approach to trauma, and it’s one that allows us to understand our pasts in order to clear a path to our future―opening the door to resilience and healing in a proven, powerful way. 

Format: Zoom Meetings (Link will be shared upon registration) 

Book Study Meeting Dates:  
• Wednesday, May 31, 2023 3-3:30 pm 
• Wednesday, June 7, 2023 8:30-9:30 am 
• Wednesday, Jun 14, 2023 8:30-9:30 am 
• Wednesday, Jun 21, 2023 8:30-9:30 am 

How it works: 
• Check out the book from the library or purchase it. 
• Check your email for the ZOOM link and Syllabus (one week prior to the meeting) 
• Join ZOOM using the link provided 
• Read the book as outlined and shared during our first organizational meeting 
• Get ready to share your thoughts and ideas as we journey through the book together in a flexible Zoom (or Google doc format) 
• If you are not present for a ZOOM meeting, you will be required to provide a written summary of the chapters covered in order to receive your hours 
• A certificate with your 15 credit hours will be issued upon completion of the book study 

**15 professional development hours will be awarded for participation in the book study series. A certificate of completion will be provided. 

NOTE: The hours will be awarded for the 2022/2023 school year OR the 2023/2024 school year.