Hope Is the First Dose: A Treatment Plan for Recovering from Trauma, Tragedy, and Other Massive Things

A neurosurgeon and award-winning author shares his approach to finding hope and happiness after experiencing the worst—through trust in God—in this memoir of personal tragedy, grief, and recovery. Trauma reconfigures life in profound ways, whether through loss, betrayal, illness, abuse, or shattered dreams. The devastation creates ongoing emotional, spiritual, and physical pain. Dr. Lee Warren, a neurosurgeon and former combat surgeon in Iraq, understands this deeply. With over twenty years of experience navigating tensions between faith and science, he faced unspeakable tragedy when his nineteen-year-old son died. In Hope Is the First Dose, Dr. Warren offers empathy and hard-won insights to provide tangible hope. He argues that no matter what you face, it does not have to define your ending. The book guides readers toward a new season of hope, faith, peace, and happiness, with hope itself presented as the first dose—grace from what he calls the Great Physician.