“The question is not why the addiction, but why the pain.” — Dr. Gabor Maté

During World War II, just after the Nazis had taken over Hungary, infant Gabor and his Jewish family were raised with little guarantee except for death.

The Nazis had killed Gabor’s grandparents and forced his father into hard labor.

When he was one, Gabor’s mother put him in the care of a stranger for five weeks to save his life. Upon their reunion, Gabor was so hurt by the abandonment — despite how well-intentioned it was — that he avoided looking at his mother for days.

Yet, in that trauma, the seeds of a great career were planted.

Today, Gabor Maté M.D., C.M., is a Canadian physician (retired), public speaker, and bestselling author whose work has been translated into 30+ languages. His award-winning book on addiction, In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts: Close Encounters with Addiction, is used as a text in many institutions of higher learning throughout the world.

His most recent book, The Myth of Normal: Trauma, Illness and Healing in a Toxic Culture, is both a #1 Canadian bestseller and New York Times bestseller. This book is making waves everywhere. It’s a 500-page nonfiction book that’s as riveting as a fictional thriller. I couldn’t put it down. There’s so many incredible insights in there, it’s so well-researched, and it’s an instant classic.

For a bit more of his background, Gabor had a 20-year stint as a family doctor and palliative care director. After that, he spent 12 years in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside with patients challenged by hard-core drug addiction, mental illness, and HIV, including in North America’s first Supervised Injection Site.

Gabor is also an expert in childhood developmental issues, ADHD, mind/body health, trauma, and parenting. He is in constant demand as a speaker and has addressed judicial bodies in Canada, the U.S., and Australia on the links between trauma, addictions, and dysfunctional behaviors. He has worked with many Indigenous communities around these issues.

He has received an Outstanding Alumnus Award from Simon Fraser University and an Honorary Degree (Laws) from the University of Northern British Columbia. For his groundbreaking medical work and writings, he has been given the Order of Canada, and the Civic Merit award from his home city of Vancouver.

A film based on his work, The Wisdom of Trauma, has been viewed by over 10 million people and has been translated into 20+ languages. It is shown regularly in many institutions, including schools and prisons, in Canada, the U.S., and abroad. At the time of our interview, his therapeutic method, Compassionate Inquiry, has been studied by over 3,000 health care providers in 80 countries.

In this episode:

• Why the medical system is keeping us sick.
• How schools are destroying our children’s future – and what to do about it.
• The role of trauma in bringing kindness and unity back to our society.
• How to prioritize healing and happiness in your daily routine.

Let’s WIN THE DAY with Gabor Maté!