Connections: A 12-Session Psychoeducational Shame-Resilience Curriculum

by Brené Brown

This revised and expanded edition of Connections, now published by Hazelden, draws on empirically based strategies to help your clients recognize shame as a universal experience and embrace authentic living as a foundation for shame resilience. Topics include defining shame practicing empathy exploring triggers and vulnerabilities practicing critical awareness reaching out to others creating, embracing, and inspiring change Connections engages clients on a cognitive, behavioral, and interpersonal level. Clients learn via group and personal exercises, handouts, and reading assignments from Brown's best-selling book I Thought It Was Just Me (but it isn't): Telling the Truth About Perfectionism, Inadequacy, and Power. The Connections curriculum includes a three-ring binder with facilitator information and lesson plans for twelve sessions, a 114-minute DVD, and a CD-ROM containing reproducible client handouts. The DVD features talks with the author that are keyed to the sessions as well as an introduction to the curriculum. Summaries of the assigned readings and DVD sessions are now included with the client reproducible handouts on the CD-ROM. Dr. Brené Brown is a writer, researcher, educator, and activist. She is an award-winning member of the research faculty at the University of Houston Graduate College of Social Work, where she has spent the past ten years studying authenticity, belonging, and shame, and the effect these powerful emotions have on the way we live, love, parent, work, and build relationships. Dr. Brown lives in Houston with her husband, Steve, and their two children, Ellen and Charlie.

Genres: Psychology, Nonfiction, Self Help, Mental Health, Social Work, Parenting

154 pages, Ring-bound

First published January 1, 2009

About the author

Dr. Brené Brown is a research professor at the University of Houston, where she holds
the Huffington Foundation Endowed Chair at the Graduate College of Social Work. She
also holds the position of visiting professor in management at The University of Texas at
Austin McCombs School of Business.

Brené has spent the past two decades studying courage, vulnerability, shame, and
empathy. She is the author of six #1 New York Times bestsellers and is the host of two
award-winning podcasts, Unlocking Us and Dare to Lead.

Brené’s books have been translated into more than 30 languages, and her titles
include Atlas of the Heart, Dare to Lead, Braving the Wilderness, Rising Strong,
Daring Greatly, and The Gifts of Imperfection. With Tarana Burke, she co-edited the
bestselling anthology You Are Your Best Thing: Vulnerability, Shame Resilience, and
the Black Experience.

Brené’s TED talk on the Power of Vulnerability is one of the top five most-viewed TED
talks in the world, with over 60 million views. She spends most of her time working in
organizations around the world, helping develop braver leaders and more courageous
cultures. In 2024, she was named as the executive director of The Center for Daring
Leadership at BetterUp.

She lives in Houston, Texas, with her husband, Steve. They have two children, Ellen and
Charlie, and a weird Bichon named Lucy.

Reviews

[Candice · Rating 5 out of 5]

This changed my life in so many ways. I was able to take part in this program and every week I learned more about myself and became stronger because of it.

[Stacy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brene Brown is simply amazing! I am reading her newest book Daring Greatly... Life changing!

[Jodi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This set me on a path of transformation never achieved before, even through hundreds of therapy hours. Finally a tool that can help "helpers" understand their own bodies and the way we experience this universal emotion of shame. I participated in this curriculum while also reading "I Thought It Was Just Me (but it isn't)" during an 11 week Chaplaincy Internship. Highly recommend.