Sometimes we need guidelines in this troubled world. As a person who suffers from anxiety in real life, I enjoyed this book. It grounded me in the present. It made me realise that we are not faulty people, but experiences shape us into the persons we are today.

I was really excited to read this book. However, it did not live up to my expectations at all. it was super repetitive and dragged on. Honestly, I don't think that it needed to be a full length book. There was so much filler and repetition.

I really enjoyed this book because it was a very new perspective for me. And definitely helpful generally, but even more so as people get older and realize their bodies aren't quite as reliable as they may have been.

Why We Hurt starts with the fundamentals. Brent Stevenson goes through how your body physically works. I was surprised that he said most people didn't know. (I personally remember being taught in elementary school.) Regardless, he breaks it down where it is easy to understand. He also goes over case studies with people he worked with.
The best part of the book (the part that was the most helpful), is the third section entitled "Taking Control." This is where I learned things that could help me with my own pain. It's not exercise and the like, but the change in thinking about your body and medicine in general.

I had high hopes for this book. As a Canadian approaching midlife, I was looking forward to learning how to be comfortable in my own body from a Canadian author.
Sadly, I felt like I was being repeatedly shamed for not knowing the 'proper' way to use my body, and that the only way to find out how to use it was to find out from this author. It felt like an advertisement for physiotherapy. While I'm sure we could all benefit from physiotherapy, not all of us can afford it.
Having the human body explained like teaching a five-year-old was actually fascinating and informative though. I enjoyed that part.
Otherwise, it was a disappointing book.

I'm grateful to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me access to the eARC!

Why We Hurt provides a holistic education on pain from a physical therapist experienced and wise in treating pain. Although I wish the author had included more warnings in his coverage of therapy with cannabis and psilocybin, the bulk of the book contains valuable information on how to prevent and treat pain through widely accepted means. With that one caveat, I strongly recommend this book.
Andrew G. Kadar, MD

I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Thank you NetGalley.

As someone who suffers from depression, anxiety, AND physical conditions that cause chronic pain - this book caught my attention.
I can tell you firsthand that when my depression and / or anxiety is really bad, my pain levels are higher than usual. And It is quite... interesting how the body can react to emotional trauma/pain in that regard.

I do agree with some other reviews here on NG that the book / information was a tad repetitive. Most of us who live with chronic pain already know and experience a lot of what was metioned.

All in all, it was an okay book. I'm not sure that i would read it again, but it wasn't a bad read.

Wow, wow, wow. " Why We Hurt" came to me at just the right time on my trauma healing journey with actual physical alignments happening. It's so informative and practical. I'm finding myself using bits and pieces of info as I go and applying them to my current situation. I appreciate the authors own experience woven in, its like talking to a friend.

This book shows how us humans are out of sync with our bodies and tries to show how fear and anxiety play a huge role in why we hurt. The author makes some good valid points and I am happy I read this book to gain a different perspective on my chronic pain. Thank you to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for a chance to read and review this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC opportunity!

I appreciated the author sharing his personal experience, and I can tell he really cared about his audience and presenting his message.

I found the information to be a bit repetitive, and I think, especially for those with chronic pain, it would be better to cut down on the repetitive information and make it more streamlined so others can maintain the energy to keep reading.

I thought the information in this book was very useful. However, I felt like I was listening to an informercial. The author kept repeating the same information over and over. I think this would have been better written as an essay or chapter in a collected work or even a small book. I am really tired of non-fiction books that are padded, I have written enough papers that have to be a certain length to know padding when I see it. I am sure the author and publisher think it will sell as a 275 page book but that doesnt make it a better book.

This is the perfect book on your shelf to have for reference. It integrates human stress along with trauma and healing. The author is a physiotherapist with years of experience and does a great job of breaking down the book.

This was a wealth of information on my body and how it works, and perspectives from the younger self all into aging which made this quite unique with the author delving into the kind of information our bodies store and how it affects us, from our diet to our beliefs.
Thanks Netgalley for the eARC.

Strap on your metaphysical seatbelts and prepare for a tour de force through the fascinating landscape of your own body with Brent Stevenson's "Why We Hurt." This isn't just a book; it's a full-body workout for your brain, minus the sweat and overpriced gym membership.

Stevenson, a physiotherapist who could easily double as a philosopher, takes us on a journey that's part anatomy class, part therapy session. He delves into the complex relationship between our physical selves and our emotional baggage, revealing that the two are more intertwined than earphones left in your pocket for too long.

Think of this book as a GPS for navigating the intricate highways and byways of your body. Stevenson's real-life stories and discussions on healthcare and human nature are like rest stops along the way, offering insightful and often eye-opening perspectives on our physical and emotional landscapes.

Appreciate the author diving and sharing their personal story. The author had an eye injury that left him visually impaired with only seeing out of one eye. The impacts of surgery, on his family life and work life have led to the experience that helped lay the pavement to create this book. You can tell that the author cares deeply for his clients through the stories he shares to tie in bigger concepts that the book delivers. This helped me be more mindful of my own body which we could all benefit from. The only portion that threw me off was the formatting and word spacing which could be related to the ARC I have.

In a world where we often treat our bodies like they're separate from our minds, "Why We Hurt" is a much-needed reminder of the intricate dance they perform together.

Big thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Why We Hurt by Brent Stevenson is an excellent book to read if you’d like to learn about the brain, body, and pain. Honestly, it would be a fantastic learning tool in a school setting, as well as for anyone wanting to understand what’s happening in their body.

I chose this book from NetGalley believing it was more of a biography of the author’s personal and work experience, as well as a “how-to.” It truly is more of an educational read. Nothing wrong with that; I just didn’t quite understand what this book was based upon the galley. It was still worth my time. The author thoroughly knows the topic, and I’m glad I read it!

My thanks to NetGalley, Envision Physio Productions, and Brent Stevenson Physiotherapy Corp. for allowing a digital ARC.

I really wanted to like this book, I did, but after the first chapter, I realized that it is better as a textbook than a fun reading text. I appreciate the author providing explanations for different age groups, which makes learning about the body more approachable. Overall, I would recommend this for anyone interested in the human body, but not for someone looking for an interesting text with a plethora of personal stories.

This is a book about pain, written by a physiotherapist who has gone through his own healing journey. While I was personally hoping for more of an emphasis on what to do/how to heal, the book is full of useful information and educational material about the body and why it gets hurt. I feel like it would be a useful addition to high school libraries. I am grateful to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review.