Wired for Healing: Remapping the Brain to Recover from Chronic and Mysterious Illnesses

by Annie Hopper

Annie Hopper had exhausted the medical system and was still suffering from disabling symptoms of multiple chemical sensitivities, fibromyalgia and electric hypersensitivity syndrome. Hopper deduced that a toxic trauma had over activated threat and protective mechanisms in her brain that were keeping her body stuck in a cycle of chronic illness and inflammation. In her search for healing, she masterfully created a system that would remap her brain, end her suffering and restore normal health. Wired for Healing sheds light on how trauma causes the brain to disorganize neural circuits and shares triumphant stories of recovery of people who have been liberated from chronic and mysterious illnesses through remapping the brain. Hopper shares her transformational healing method with the world through in person programs, along with a fourteen hour instructional DVD that has been translated into seven languages. The Dynamic Neural Retraining System™ is a drug-free, neuroplasticity-based approach to remap neural pathways in the limbic system and has helped countless people recover from many illnesses, such Multiple Chemical Sensitivities, Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Chronic Pain, Food Sensitivities, Electric Hypersensitivity Syndrome, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Depression and Anxiety, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome, Inflammatory Conditions and other Chronic Illnesses.

Genres: Health, Nonfiction, Psychology, Self Help, Unfinished, Mental Health, Medical

277 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 30, 2015

Reviews

[Lisa Lewis Lewis · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought this book would walk you through treatment. IT DOES NOT. This book did a good job of explaining limbic system impairments, but much of the latter part of the book is just testimonials. Annie identifies these ailments as being caused by the brain, yet gives you even more issues to worry about. Basically, the book is one big commercial for her DVD, which is actually supposed to help you.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

5000 stars! Just finished my 38th day of practice. Riding the roller coaster and not getting off any time soon.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a truly groundbreaking piece of work. Annie Hopper suggests that we can recover from chronic and mysterious illnesses, (Fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, chronic pain, Lyme, food sensitivities) by remapping the neural networks within. The book is the story about how she cured herself, and has countless tales of others who have been unrelentingly medically compromised, and the endless round of doctors couldn't find or fix what was wrong. It also explains the science and philosophy behind the neural training program, and how it works and why. I thought it was great, and I used it with a patient one year ago, in conjunction with the work we were doing towards healing. I've seen and believed that this direction is onto something important.

My one beef with Annie Hopper's work, is her critique of psychotherapy, and unable to shift the neural networks, and trapping a patient in an unrelenting cycle of trauma. This is just not the case. All of the cutting edge work in psychology is in neuroscience and the neurobiology of relationships And this informs our work. Our aim, in all of the differing modalities and techniques, is not to keep people stuck in old patterns, neural or otherwise, but to have them move in a new way, and truly move towards healing. I believe healing from trauma is as possible as healing from chronic medical illness, and in fact that's the basis of the paper and presentation I am writing right now. How these two overlap, and can work in conjunction with one another. They are mirror images, and are complimentary to one another. And I have the stories too, to prove it. In any case, I would recommend this book to anyone, and already have. Nice job, Annie, and congratulations on your good and sustained health, the journey it took to get there, and on your wonderful groundbreaking book.

[Gail · Rating 4 out of 5]

Important ideas for folks suffering from conditions that are not well understood, such as Chronic Fatigue, Multiple Chemical Sensitivities, benzodiazepine withdrawal syndrome, fibromyalgia, and others. It posits that an initial trauma - chemical, physical, emotional - initiates a limbic system dysfunction, which then self-perpetuates.

The author suffered from this herself and did lots of research on the brain and neuroplasticity. She came up with a mindfulness based desensitization program (DNRS) which has helped many. You can check it out at retrainingthebrain.com.

One caveat - the book is not that well-written. There is much repetition, and the organization is weak. Chapter 6 contains the real meat in the clearest form, though skimming the earlier material provides helpful context. The bulk of the remainder of the book consists of testimonials of folks healed by the DNRS method. The last chapter is short and worth reading.

[Amy Chin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has been criticized as being “an infomercial” for the Dynamic Neural Retraining System. Since I read it in order to better understand the science behind that system, I give it five stars. Anyone with a possible limbic system impairment should absolutely read this book. It gives you a deep understanding of the functions of the limbic system and neuroplasticity.

[Kimberly]

This book doesn't walk you through the method of how to remap your brain. It does explain the science behind it and give many stories of those very sick who were able to use neuroplasticity methods to get better again. I found it very fascinating and encouraging. To do the method, you would need to buy the program or go to one of her live seminars.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hope for chronic illness sufferers

Fascinating theory regarding limbic system dysfunction being a root cause of many illnesses that seem to have no cure. Neuroplasticity is the key to healing our brains and bodies.

[RH Michetti · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting explanation for some health issues however not much in the way of the “how” she overcame them.

[Anthony McAtee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good Book 50% Testimonials

Read it if you have kindle unlimited but at $25 just buy the program and save 10% in not purchasing the book.

[Annie Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

Definitely alternative, but perhaps very helpful to those who are desperate. It seems as though the method would take a lot of work, but if one is stuck in a negative situation with negative thoughts, it would be helpful to use her method to retrain the brain. Caroline Leaf suggests similar things, and Norman Doidge also discusses the amazing power of the brain to change.

One thing I, as a person with chronic illness, value is the emphasis on the importance of taking your thoughts captive, being grateful, thinking about good things, trusting--all things the Bible tells people to do. This is not a religious book, but it does point out the importance to health of having the above attitudes, and the disastrous health consequences of being negative.

[Sara Lightfoot · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is EXACTLY what I have been searching for years. I have my Masters in Communication Disorders & learned all about neurosciences & neuroplasticity. For years I have felt like my brain was “stuck” in fight/flight mode but couldn’t figure out how to get it back to normal function. My doctors all just brushed me off. Then I found this book!!! It explains in medical & scientific terms exactly what I’ve known was happening to my body. I just purchased the DVD program & have high hopes of getting better after 6 years of severe unexplained illnesses. This book is a MUST READ for anyone suffering from mysterious & chronic illnesses!!!!! HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!!

[Lauren · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting

The book is mostly an advertisement for her DNRS training. It describes why it works and broad strokes on how but no details.

[Kristina · Rating 3 out of 5]

I adored the first portion of this book, as Hopper details her struggles with seemingly unexplainable debilitating chronic illness, leading her to formulate her DNRS approach. I was fascinated with the information about the limbic system and how its dysregulation can cause so many malfunctions within our bodies. This section of the book was a five star reading experience for the insight alone. I'm also persuaded to give DNRS a go for my own chronic health issues after gaining an understanding of the program.

The remainder of the book is composed of testimonials from those who have had success through DNRS. I was not as bothered by this infomercial quality as some other reviewers, but they were poorly written in some cases and incredibly repetitive. I was also left questioning much of what I had read when a success story was featured of a woman being "cured" from MS, which is a condition I have had for a decade and am well versed in. At no point did this testimonial talk about anything beyond symptoms of MS, leaving out any definitive testing or diagnosis that would confirm the condition. This section definitely would instill false hope in those who are led to believe that DNRS can completely heal such conditions. (That's not to say it won't heal many chronic illnesses and have a marked impact, but there's no way it would fully heal brain and spinal cord damage caused by MS)

[Sam Dolph · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 ...

do i believe the author and all the folks detailed in this book suffered the way they did? yes. do i believe in limbic system dysregulation being at the core of many illnesses? yes. do i believe that neuroplasticity is an underutilized/overlooked/mostly ignored key at recovering from illnesses? yes.

all that being said ... this book was ... not well written. so much repetition that it almost discredited it because it felt like it was trying too hard to get me to believe the info. also the emphasis on "the program" (and constant trademarking, omg) without actually saying much about what the program DOES made me feel like i was being recruited for an MLM scheme.

at one point i flipped back to the copyright page just to make sure the book was self published (it was) because i simply could not believe an editor could actually let this go to market the way it was.

anyway ... (mostly) good info, but very bad writing, which is a bummer! because this stuff is already pish-poshed among the medical community and it SHOULDN'T be, but if it's written like this, it absolutely will be ... sry ....

[Jan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm conflicted on this one. This is the only book that I found on Limbic Dysfunction and it does a good job explaining what it is. This could be life changing for some. However, it was hard to get through, repetitive, not well-written, and frankly could have been half the number of pages. It includes 150+ pages of program testimonials! Why!!!!!??? The first 100 pages talk about the condition and the program they are selling but nothing about the program itself or what you can do to improve your condition.

[Patrik · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interesting first part, describing the limbic system and neuroplasticity.
The book explain how the different parts in the limbic system, hippo campus, hippo thalamus, amygdala and the cortex, are connected. These parts of the brain are the oldest and usually react before our common sense. It's important to know this, because if they are in a compromised state, they might send your body the wrong signals.

[Ida Hansen · Rating 1 out of 5]

sales funnel for USD 350 course

How does one manage to claim that they want to help people recover from illnesses while at the same time claiming they know the secret to recover, and this secret is reeeaaallly simple, but it’s only available if you purchase this 350 dollar course from the writer’s website. Paying for this book is like paying to read a poorly written ad where you don’t even get to see what the product is.

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although I found the writing style personally difficult to engage with, I am so grateful for this book. This is information everybody should have! To those suffering from mysterious/chronic illness, it may be revolutionary. I recommend it.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an important book for those suffering from chronic and mysterious illnesses that medical science often has no answers for. I have known several people who have been unable to live full lives due to things like fibromyalgia, CFS, multiple chemical sensitivities, POTS, Lyme disease, mast cell activation syndrome, etc. who have finally found relief through Annie Hopper’s DNRS program. Although the book is not a replacement for the training that you receive from one of her seminars, it does give a pretty comprehensive overview of how Hopper developed the system, how the limbic system functions and how trauma loops develop in the brain; and it lists the different modalities that can be used in order to rewire and heal the limbic system. The last half of the book is testimony after testimony of people who were once completely disabled in body, mind, or both, yet are now fully functioning and joyful members of society. The word “society” is very important because in almost all of these cases, the person has been banished from society by his/her own brain and relegated to living in the most limited way. Having been a student of functional neurology and neuroplasticity for many years, Hopper’s explanations and recommendations made total sense to me. In fact, I consider DNRS to be the missing piece I was looking for in achieving my own optimal health. I can’t recommend this book enough to those who have been looking for a miracle to help them start living again.

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The scientific parts of the book I will be re-reading to more fully absorb and gain more understanding. The personal recovery stories I will re-read for motivation and encouragement as I, too, re-wire my brain to recover from chronic and mysterious illnesses! Fascinating... and it works!!!

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an illuminating read. Annie Hopper applies the science of neuroplasticity to chronic illness. She explains how a limbic system impairment can lead to long-term declines in health and a range of debilitating symptoms including multiple chemical sensitivities. This book completely changed my perspective on my situation and gave me hope that I can recover through dedicated therapy. It's specific but approachable and references several foundational books on neuroscience that I plan on reading.

My only qualm is that the last few chapters of personal recovery stories from the DNRS program start to read like an advertisement, so I just skimmed those. That said, it's an important book that I believe could help a lot of people.

[Moon Captain · Rating 2 out of 5]

Doesn't actually offer any help or strategies, just promotes the DNRS system which isn't explained at all. A collection of testimonials from people who suffered mysterious ailments and got well again. Good to read if people are treating you like a crazy for having black mold illness. There's also a few good Reddit boards you can join. Good luck

[Gayle · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is nothing but a hyped-up advertisement for Annie Hopper’s expensive DNRS program. It’s full of testimonials about how great her program is and repeatedly urges the reader to purchase the program. THERE IS NOTHING INSTRUCTIONAL IN THE BOOK!!! So glad I checked it out of the library and didn’t waste my money on it. I do not recommend this book.

[Victor De witt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interesting book. Would like to know more about the methodology behind Annie's technique.

[Marge Moen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent and interesting subject! Worthy of multiple reads.

[Alisabeth Mccarthy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was eye opening for me. I'm going to do the program next.

[Chris Concannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I feel mixed emotions giving this book a 3/5 starts because on one hand:

I honestly feel like the author’s DNRS program is EXACTLY what I’ve been looking for in over 11 years of suffering with mysterious chronic illness now.

But on the other hand:

It really off-put me that there isn’t a single mention of what the program actually involves. Not even like a brief overview of what to expect.

The purpose of this book is really just to give you a basic overview of the Limbic System and how it can become damaged, leading hypersensitivities and faulty pain signaling, etc.

From there it just directs you to purchase her program’s DVD’s or attend her seminars.

About 150 pages could have been chopped off as well, as the entire second half of the book is just nothing but testimonies of people who were suffering but then went through her program. I could see one or two and then a link to her website or something for more, but like 8 or 9 testimonies all pretty much with the same structure? It got super repetitive and felt like I was wasting my time.

All in all— I have to admit that I was effective— I will definitely be looking into her DVD’s and possibly even into a seminar of hers depending on the price.

[Lettie Bugg · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was a particularly important book for me to read because I, myself, have limbic system impairment and have started the DNRS treatment program. I'll admit, it was difficult to get through. It took me 5 months to finish. Not because it's a slog, or too heavy, simply because my brain could only handle so much at a time. Brain fog is a THING for those with limbic impairment. But I can also tell you that I was completely INSPIRED by this book. I have been suffering from limbic system impairment for 15 years, though for a majority of that time the doctors could not tell me what was wrong with me. I had pretty much given up hope of healing or a "normal" life by the time I learned about DNRS. And many of the people whose testimonies are in this book were in the exact same boat. Reading their stories and knowing that they achieved healing has really helped me to believe and hope again. I cannot wait till I reach the end of my healing journey and can share my story just as they have.

[Samantha Proske · Rating 4 out of 5]

I already took the DNRS online program so I did understand the concepts a lot more because of that previous knowledge I've gained. I think Annie did a great job with incorporating her journey and factual evidence towards retraining the brain for health. I loved how she also mentions environmental awareness so that we can collectively help our planet and prevent illness. My favorite part was the recovery stories that took up the last chunk of the book. I would read a few of them a day to spark motivation and to feel compassion for others. If you are struggling with MCF, CFS, Fibro, anxiety or PTSD, then this book is great to see if this is something you would want to do. But in order to begin the actually recovery, you need to take the program. The book does not include the practices nor all the information needed to recover on your own.

[Hillaryunderwood · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was so fascinating to me. The first half really dives into the science behind neuroplasticity and how the limbic system can become impaired through trauma, viruses, toxins, etc. This research & the program she has developed gives hope to people suffering from chronic illnesses. To think that some complicated health issues can be alleviated by brain retraining is absolutely amazing! I will say the second half of the book is testimonials from her program, but still fascinating.