Season 2, Episode 10: The One Where I Talk About Bruno

That Social Work Lady

I'm in the studio solo dolo for this episode and I'm talking about Bruno!
Every family has secrets. Some of those secrets are merely private things that truly aren't anyone's business outside of the family. But there are other secrets that are truly damaging and traumatic. There are secrets that hurt, harm and kill.
Watching Disney's Encanto brought home to me the impact that generational trauma has on families, particularly Black families. Many family members carry the shame of their generational trauma without zero understanding of the origin of the trauma and why they function the way they do in society.

Brene Brown, TED talk famous social worker and renown shame researcher says, "I define shame as the intensely painful feeling or experience of believing that we are flawed and therefore unworthy of love and belonging—something we’ve experienced, done, or failed to do makes us unworthy of connection."
Bruno, a character in Encanto, embodies his family's shame. The shame is directly related to their trauma. Bruno is the hidden secret. The crazy thing is millions of families across America have a Bruno! In our families Bruno can be male or female. They may be a drunk or someone with mental illness. At the end of the day, however, Bruno holds the family shame and because he holds the family shame the rest of the family can 'function' in the larger society.
Whew!
So that's what we diving into in Episode 10.
For more information on Brene Brown's shame research check out:
https://brenebrown.com/articles/2013/01/15/shame-v-guilt/
Also check out the book: You Are Your Best Thing edited by Brene Brown and Tarana Burke