Why We Repeat the Same Mistakes Over and Over | Dr. Tony Iezzi

Most people believe their decisions are conscious.That their choices come from logic, intention, and control.But what if that’s only part of the story?In this episode of Thought Atlas, I’m joined by Dr. Tony Iezzi, a clinical psychologist with more than 35 years of experience working with trauma, stress, chronic illness, and behavioral change.Dr. Iezzi is the co-author of Reenactments, a framework for understanding why people often repeat patterns they consciously want to stop—and why those patterns frequently originate far earlier than we realize.This conversation explores:• Why people repeat behaviors they know are harmful• Trauma beyond extreme events• The hidden behavioral loops shaping daily life• How childhood experiences influence adult decisions• The neuroscience of habit formation• Stress, triggers, and emotional reactions• Why logic often fails under pressure• How the brain creates behavioral pathways• The relationship between perception and trauma• How lasting change actually happensOne of the most surprising ideas in this conversation is that trauma is not simply what happens to us.It’s how we perceive what happens to us.And those perceptions can quietly shape our behavior for decades.This is a conversation about memory, identity, adaptation, and the possibility of creating new patterns when old ones no longer serve us.🌍 Thought Atlas:Thought Atlas🌍 Dr. Tony Iezzi’s Book:Reenactments: Behavior Patterns, Trauma, and Everyday Life