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'{{Advert|article's "Career" section|date=April 2023}} {{short description|American academic, speaker and author}} {{Use mdy dates|date=March 2021}} {{Infobox academic | name = Brené Brown | image = Brené Brown Wikipedia.jpg | alt = | caption = Brown in 2012 | birth_name = Casandra Brené Brown | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1965|11|18|mf=y}} | birth_place = [[San Antonio]], [[Texas]], U.S. | death_date = <!-- {{death date and age|YYYY|MM|DD|YYYY|MM|DD}} (death date then birth date) --> | death_place = | occupation = {{hlist | Clinical Social Worker | academic | public speaker}} | spouse = {{marriage|Steve Alley|1994}} | awards = <!--notable national-level awards only--> | website = {{official URL}} | alma_mater = {{ubl | [[University of Texas at Austin]] | [[University of Houston]]}} | thesis_title = Acompañar: A Grounded Theory of Developing, Maintaining and Assessing Relevance in Professional Helping<ref>{{cite thesis |last=Brown |first=Casandra Brené |year=2002 |title=Acompañar: A Grounded Theory of Developing, Maintaining and Assessing Relevance in Professional Helping |degree=PhD |location=Houston |publisher=University of Houston |oclc=51775597}}</ref> | thesis_year = 2002 | school_tradition = | doctoral_advisor = | academic_advisors = | influences = <!--must be referenced from a third-party source--> | era = | discipline = [[Social work]] | sub_discipline = <!--academic discipline specialist area – e.g. Sub-atomic research, 20th-century Danish specialist, Pauline research, Arcadian and Ugaritic specialist--> | workplaces = [[University of Houston]] | doctoral_students = <!--only those with WP articles--> | notable_students = | main_interests = | notable_works = | notable_ideas = | influenced = <!--must be referenced from a third-party source--> | signature = | signature_alt = }} '''Casandra Brené Brown''' (born November 18, 1965) is an American professor, author, and podcast host. Brown is known for her work on [[shame]], [[vulnerability]], and [[leadership]], and for her widely viewed [[TEDx (conference)|TEDx talk]] in 2010.<ref>{{Cite web |date=6 Oct 2010 |title=The power of vulnerability |url=https://www.ted.com/talks/brene_brown_the_power_of_vulnerability?utm_campaign=tedspread&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=tedcomshare |url-status=live |website=TED}}</ref> She has written six number-one [[The New York Times Best Seller list|''New York Times'' bestselling books]] and hosted two podcasts on [[Spotify]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Carman |first=Ashley |date=6 Jan 2023 |title=Spotify Ends Two Exclusive Shows Amid Podcasting Shakeout |work=Bloomberg |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2023-01-05/spotify-ends-two-exclusive-shows-amid-podcasting-shakeout}}</ref> In 2022, [[HBO Max]] released a [[Documentary film|documentary]] series based on her book, ''[[Atlas of the Heart]].'' Brown holds the Huffington Foundation's Brené Brown Endowed Chair at the [[University of Houston]]'s Graduate College of Social Work and is a visiting professor in management at the [[McCombs School of Business]] at the [[University of Texas at Austin]]. ==Early life and education== Brown was born on November 18, 1965,<ref name="Public Records">{{cite web |title=U.S. Public Records Index |url=https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VDS8-6XG |author=Texas Birth Index |year=2002 |publisher=Family Search |access-date=July 11, 2017}}</ref> in [[San Antonio]], [[Texas]], where her parents Charles Arthur Brown and Casandra Deanne Rogers<ref name="Public Records"/> had her baptized in the [[Episcopal Church (United States)|Episcopal Church]]. She is the eldest of four children.<ref name="About">{{Cite web|title=About|url=https://brenebrown.com/about/|access-date=2020-12-28|website=Brené Brown|language=en}}</ref> Her family then moved to [[New Orleans]].<ref name="NOLABrown">{{cite book|last1=Brown|first1=Brené|title=The Gifts of Imperfection|date=2010|publisher=Hazelden|location=Center City, Minnesota|isbn=978-1-59285-849-1|page=93}}<!--|access-date=17 May 2015--></ref> Brown completed a [[Bachelor of Social Work]] degree at the [[University of Texas at Austin]] in 1995, followed by a [[Master of Social Work]] degree in 1996,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.uh.edu/socialwork/about/faculty-directory/b-brown/index|title=Brené Brown|website=uh.edu|language=en|access-date=2019-02-27}}</ref> and a [[Doctor of Philosophy]] degree in social work at the [[University of Houston]] in 2002.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web|url=https://www.inc.com/magazine/201810/maria-aspan/brene-brown-leadership-consultant-research.html|title=How This Leadership Researcher Became the Secret Weapon for Oprah, Pixar, IBM, and Melinda Gates|date=2018-09-19|website=Inc.com|access-date=2019-01-24}}</ref> ==Career== === Research and teaching === Brown has studied the topics of courage, vulnerability, shame, empathy, and leadership, which she has used to look at human connection and how it works.<ref name=":7">{{Cite web|date=2021-11-28|title=Oprah and Brené Brown on Cultivating Connection|url=https://www.oprahdaily.com/life/relationships-love/a38325192/oprah-brene-brown-interview-connections-intention/|access-date=2021-12-30|website=Oprah Daily|language=en-US}}</ref> She has spent her research career as a professor at her alma mater, the [[University of Houston]]'s Graduate College of Social Work.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/12/your-money/12shortcuts.html "Tiptoeing Out of One's Comfort Zone (and of Course, Back In)"]. Interview with Brown, ''New York Times'' February 11, 2011.</ref> === Public speaking === Brown's TEDx talk from Houston in 2010, "The Power of Vulnerability", is one of the five most viewed TED talks. Its popularity shifted her work from relative obscurity in academia into the mainstream spotlight.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web|date=2010-06-01|title=Brené Brown TEDxHouston, The power of vulnerability|url=https://www.ted.com/talks/brene_brown_on_vulnerability|website=TED}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=The most popular talks of all time|url=https://www.ted.com/playlists/171/the_most_popular_talks_of_all|url-status=live|access-date=2021-12-30|website=TED|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140808150749/http://www.ted.com/playlists/171/the_most_popular_talks_of_all |archive-date=August 8, 2014 }}</ref><ref name=":5">{{Cite web|last=Cadwalladr|first=Carole|date=2015-11-22|title=Brené Brown: 'People will find a million reasons to tear your work down'|url=http://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/nov/22/brene-brown-vulnerable-dont-suggest-she-is-peddling-self-help|url-status=live|access-date=2021-12-30|website=[[The Guardian]]|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151122144608/http://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/nov/22/brene-brown-vulnerable-dont-suggest-she-is-peddling-self-help |archive-date=November 22, 2015 }}</ref><ref name=":6">{{Cite news|last=Ugwu|first=Reggie|date=2020-04-24|title=Brené Brown Is Rooting for You, Especially Now|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/24/arts/brene-brown-podcast-virus.html|access-date=2021-12-30|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> The talk "summarizes a decade of Brown's research on shame, framing her weightiest discoveries in self-deprecating and personal terms."<ref name=":6"/> Reggie Ugwu for ''[[The New York Times]]'' said that this event gave the world "a new star of social psychology."<ref name=":6"/> She went on to follow this popular TED talk with another titled "Listening to Shame" in 2012. In the second talk she talks about how her life has changed since the first talk and explains the connection between shame and vulnerability, building on the thesis of her first TED talk.<ref name=":2">[http://www.ted.com/talks/brene_brown_listening_to_shame.html TED talk "Listening to shame" – Brené Brown]. March 2012</ref> She also has a less well-known talk from 2010 given at TEDxKC titled "The Price of Invulnerability." In it she explains that when numbing hard and difficult feelings, essentially feeling vulnerable, we also numb positive emotions, like joy.<ref>{{Citation|title=The price of invulnerability: Brené Brown at TEDxKC|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_UoMXF73j0c|language=en|access-date=2021-12-30}}</ref> This led to the creation of her filmed lecture, ''[[Brené Brown: The Call to Courage]]'', which debuted on [[Netflix]] in 2019.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|last=Jensen|first=Erin|title=5 takeaways on vulnerability from Brené Brown's 'The Call To Courage'|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/tv/2019/04/19/brene-brown-call-courage-netflix-vulnerability/3497969002/|access-date=2021-12-30|website=USA TODAY|language=en-US}}</ref> ''USA Today'' called it "a mix of a motivational speech and stand-up comedy special."<ref name=":0"/> Brown discusses how and why to choose courage over comfort, equating being brave to being vulnerable. According to her research, doing this opens people to love, joy, and belonging by allowing them to better know themselves and more deeply connect with other people.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Bridges|first=Frances|title=5 Ways To Be Brave According To Brené Brown's Netflix Special 'The Call To Courage'|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/francesbridges/2019/04/29/5-ways-to-be-brave-according-to-brene-browns-netflix-special-the-call-to-courage/|access-date=2021-12-30|website=Forbes|language=en}}</ref> Brown regularly works as a public speaker at private events and businesses, such as at [[Alain de Botton]]'s [[The School of Life|School of Life]]<ref name=":5" /> and at [[Google]] and [[The Walt Disney Company|Disney]].<ref name=":6"/> === Writing === She is, as of 2021, the author of six number-one ''New York Times'' bestsellers: ''The Gifts of Imperfection'', ''[[Daring Greatly]]'', ''Rising Strong'', ''Braving the Wilderness'', ''Dare to Lead'', and ''[[Atlas of the Heart]]''. She discussed ''Daring Greatly'' with [[Oprah Winfrey]] on ''[[Super Soul Sunday]]'' in March 2013.<ref>{{cite web|date=2013-11-03|title=Dr. Brené Brown on Daring Greatly|url=http://www.oprah.com/own-supersoulsunday/blogs/Coming-Up-Sunday-Dr-Bren233-Brown-on-Daring-Greatly|publisher=OWN}}</ref> The book's title comes from a 1910 [[Theodore Roosevelt]] speech, "[[Citizenship in a Republic]]", given at the [[Sorbonne (building)|Sorbonne]].<ref name=":1">{{cite web|last=Schawbel|first=Dan|date=2013-04-21|title=Brene Brown: How Vulnerability Can Make Our Lives Better|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/danschawbel/2013/04/21/brene-brown-how-vulnerability-can-make-our-lives-better/2/|access-date=2013-09-16|work=Forbes}}</ref> Her most recent work, ''Atlas of the Heart'', was published in November 2021, with the goal of helping readers expand their emotional vocabulary—the language they have to communicate their feelings.<ref name=":7"/> Brown wrote a chapter of advice in [[Tim Ferriss]]' book ''[[Tools of Titans]]''. With [[Tarana Burke]], she co-created ''You Are Your Best Thing: Vulnerability, Shame Resilience, and the Black Experience'', an anthology of essays by Black individuals discussing the trauma of white supremacy as well as the experiences of Black love and Black life. === Podcasting === In 2020, Brown began hosting the ''Unlocking Us'' and ''Dare to Lead'' podcasts.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/brene-brown-signs-exclusive-podcast-deal-with-spotify-exclusive-4065803/|title=Brené Brown Signs Exclusive Podcast Deal With Spotify (Exclusive)|author=Natalie Jarvey|date=September 23, 2020|publisher= The Hollywood Reporter|accessdate=2021-10-09}}</ref> ''Unlocking Us'' alternates between interviews with guests and solo episodes where Brown talks alone, directly to listeners. In solo episodes, she tells stories from her life, explains learnings from her research, and supplements it with summaries of other related social science work. Interview guests have included grief expert [[David Kessler (writer)|David Kessler]], singer [[Alicia Keys]], writer [[Glennon Doyle]], and activist Tarana Burke who started the [[Me Too movement]].<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-04-22|title=Brené Brown's Unlocking Us Has Arrived at the Right Time|url=https://podcastreview.org/review/brene-brown-unlocking-us/|access-date=2021-12-30|website=Podcast Review|language=en-US}}</ref> In 2022, Brown's interview with [[Debbie Millman]] was featured on the ''[[Storybound (podcast)|Storybound]]'' season 5 premiere. === Other work === Brown is CEO of "The Daring Way", a professional training and certification program on the topics of vulnerability, courage, shame, and empathy.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://thedaringway.com/about/|title=About - The Daring Way|language=en-US|access-date=2016-09-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161106032750/http://thedaringway.com/about/|archive-date=2016-11-06|url-status=dead}}</ref> She appeared as herself in the movie [[Wine Country (film)|''Wine Country'']].<ref name=":6" /><ref>{{Cite web|last=Schwartz|first=Brie|date=2019-05-09|title=Brené Brown Makes an Unexpected and Hilarious Appearance in Wine Country|url=https://www.oprahdaily.com/entertainment/tv-movies/a27423282/netflix-wine-country-brene-brown-cameo/|access-date=2021-12-30|website=Oprah Daily|language=en-US}}</ref> Her five-part docuseries, ''Brené Brown: Atlas of the Heart'', was released on HBO Max in 2022.<ref name="Budowski 2022">{{cite web | last=Budowski | first=Jade | title=Stream It Or Skip It: 'Brené Brown: Atlas of the Heart' On HBO Max, Where the Best-Selling Author Teaches Us How to Connect with Each Other (And Ourselves) | website=Decider | date=2022-04-01 | url=https://decider.com/2022/03/31/brene-brown-atlas-of-the-heart-hbo-max-review/ | access-date=2022-04-06}}</ref> == Personal life == Brown and her husband, Dr. Steve Alley, have two children.<ref name="About"/> The family lives in [[Houston|Houston, Texas]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Elliott|first=Amber|date=2016-04-13|title=Brené Brown surprises lunchgoers with generous donation|url=https://www.chron.com/life/society/article/Brene-Brown-surprises-luncheon-with-generous-7246636.php|access-date=2019-01-24|website=Houston Chronicle}}</ref> Though she was baptized in the [[Episcopal Church (United States)|Episcopal Church]], her family raised her as a [[Catholic Church|Catholic]].<ref>{{cite web|author=Lisa Capretto OWN|date=2015-10-16|title=Why Brené Brown 'abandoned' the church - and why she went back|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/brene-brown-church_us_56200e7be4b069b4e1fb6e7a|access-date=2017-02-15|publisher=Huffington Post}}</ref> She later left the Catholic Church and returned to the Episcopal community with her husband and children two decades later. During her time in higher education, Brown has described addiction to a combination of alcohol, smoking, emotional eating and an addiction to control. Brown stopped drinking and smoking on May 12, 1996, one day after her master's program graduation. She has been sober since then and often talks about the positive impact of that on her life.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Brown|first=Brené|date=2019-05-31|title=What Being Sober Has Meant to Me|url=https://brenebrown.com/blog/2019/05/31/what-being-sober-has-meant-to-me/|access-date=2020-12-28|website=Brené Brown|language=en}}</ref> == Selected works == * "Feminist Standpoint Theory" and "Shame Resilience Theory." In S. P. Robbins, P. Chatterjee & E. R. Canda (Eds.), ''Contemporary human behavior theory: A Critical Perspective for Social Work''. Boston: Allyn and Bacon. 560 pp. {{ISBN|978-0-13-477926-3}} Published 2007. * ''I Thought It Was Just Me (But It Isn't): Telling the Truth About Perfectionism, Inadequacy and Power''. Avery. 336 pp. {{ISBN|978-1-59240-335-6}} (2007) * ''Connections: A 12-Session Psychoeducational Shame-Resilience Curriculum''. Center City, MN: Hazelden. {{ISBN|978-1-59285-742-5}} (2009) * ''The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You're Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You Are''. Center City, MN: Hazelden. 160 pp. {{ISBN|978-1-59285-849-1}} (2010) * ''[[Daring Greatly|Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent and Lead]]''. New York City: Gotham. 320 pp. {{ISBN|978-1-59240-841-2}} (2012) * ''Rising Strong: The Reckoning, the Rumble, the Revolution''. [[Spiegel & Grau]], now Random House. 352 pp. {{ISBN|978-0-8129-8580-1}} (2015) * ''Braving the Wilderness: The Quest for True Belonging and the Courage to Stand Alone.'' Random House. 208 pp. {{ISBN|978-0-8129-8581-8}} (2017) * ''Dare to Lead: Brave Work. Tough Conversations. Whole Hearts.'' Random House. 320 pp. {{ISBN|978-0-399-59252-2}} (2018) * ''The Gifts of Imperfection'' (10th Anniversary Edition). 256 pp. {{ISBN|0-593-13358-7}} (2020) * ''[[Atlas of the Heart]].'' Random House. 336pp. {{ISBN|978-0-399-59255-3}} (2021) ==Honors and awards== In 2009 ''Houston Woman Magazine'' voted Brown one of the city's most influential women.<ref Name="Gifts of Imperfection2">[http://www.houstonwomanmagazine.com/fifty.htm Houston's 50 Most Influential Women for 2009], ''Houston Women's Magazine'' {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090411033543/http://www.houstonwomanmagazine.com/fifty.htm |date=April 11, 2009 }}</ref> She has also received teaching awards, including the Graduate College of Social Work's Outstanding Faculty Award.<ref name=hazeldon_bio>{{cite web|title=Brene Brown|url=http://www.hazelden.org/web/public/brenebrown.page|publisher=Hazeldon|access-date=6 March 2014}}</ref> In 2016 the Huffington Foundation pledged $2 million over four years to endow a research chair in her name at the Graduate College of Social Work, where she guides the training of social work students in [[grounded theory]] methodology and in her research into vulnerability, courage, shame, and empathy.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.uh.edu/news-events/stories/2016/February/24BreneBrownEndowment.php|title=Huffington Foundation Endows Chair for Brené Brown, Social Work Researcher, Author of 'Daring Greatly'|website=uh.edu|access-date=2016-09-20}}</ref> In 2022, her book [[Atlas of the Heart]] won the [[Goodreads Choice Awards|Goodreads Choice award]] for Best Nonfiction.<ref>{{cite web |title=Best Nonfiction |url=https://www.goodreads.com/choiceawards/best-nonfiction-books-2022 |website=Goodreads |access-date=December 9, 2022}}</ref> == References == {{Reflist}} == External links == {{wikiquote}} * {{Official website}} * [https://www.ted.com/talks/brene_brown_the_power_of_vulnerability Brené Brown's TED Talk on The Power of Vulnerability.] * {{cite web |title=Brené Brown, Faculty Profile |url=http://www.uh.edu/socialwork/about/faculty-directory/b-brown/ |publisher=[[University of Houston Graduate College of Social Work]] }} {{authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Brown, Brene}} [[Category:1965 births]] [[Category:21st-century American Episcopalians]] [[Category:21st-century American non-fiction writers]] [[Category:21st-century American women writers]] [[Category:Academics from Houston]] [[Category:American motivational writers]] [[Category:American women non-fiction writers]] [[Category:Anglican scholars]] [[Category:Christians from Texas]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:People from Harris County, Texas]] [[Category:University of Houston alumni]] [[Category:University of Houston faculty]] [[Category:University of Texas at Austin School of Social Work alumni]] [[Category:Writers from San Antonio]] [[Category:Women motivational writers]] [[Category:American women academics]]'