The Life-Changing Art of Self-Brain Surgery: Connecting Neuroscience and Faith to Radically Transform Your Life

Over 100,000 copies sold!

A New York Times and Publishers Weekly bestseller !

What if it were possible for you to make structural changes to your own brain so it's healthier and less prone to depression, anxiety, grief, worry, and other issues that make you unhappy and keep you stuck

In this neuroscience-based, faith-infused, and immensely practical guide, Dr. W. Lee Warren, a practicing neurosurgeon, trauma survivor, and award-winning writer, reveals how to take control of your own mental, emotional, and physical healing by reordering your mind to change your brain-resulting in a radically transformed life that is healthier, happier, and more hopeful.

Since the development of functional brain imaging in the early 2000's, we now know that thoughts can direct structural changes in the brain as or more effectively than medicines or surgery and can do so more quickly. That means, whether we know it or not, we're all brain surgeons.

The Life-Changing Art of Self-Brain Surgery will help you:

learn and master several types of “self-brain surgery” operations to move from floundering to flourishing heal from trauma, tragedy, and other types of hardship overcome anxiety, depression, loneliness and other emotional and mental health struggles conquer limiting or negative thinking break old habits and create new ones build resilience and wellbeing become an empowered, hopeful person no matter what you're facing

With the skill of a surgeon, the wounds of a trauma-survivor, the lessons of a scientist, and a hard-won faith that we are wired for happiness here on earth and not just in the hereafter, Dr. Warren walks readers into nothing less than a new way of life.

Author(s): W. Lee Warren, MD, Daniel G. Amen, MD
Publisher: Tyndale Refresh
Published: 2/3/2026
Pages: 336
Binding Type: Hardcover
Size / Weight: 8.9 in H | 5.8 in W | 1.3 in T | 1.1 lb Wt
ISBN: 9798400509889


About the Author

W. Lee Warren, MD, is a practicing neurosurgeon, New York Times bestselling author, and Iraq War veteran. Outside of the operating room, his writing and teaching serve as prescriptions for connecting neuroscience to faith for radical life transformation.

He teaches the art and science of human flourishing through The Dr. Lee Warren Podcast, his YouTube channel, and his Self-Brain Surgery newsletter on Substack. More than one million people are practicing self–brain surgery daily by following Dr. Warren on social media.

His book No Place to Hide was named to the 2015 US Air Force Chief of Staff Reading List. I've Seen the End of You was the Christian Book Award winner for Biography and Memoir in 2021. And Hope Is the First Dose was Outreach magazine's 2024 Resource of the Year award winner for Counseling and Relationships. His book The Life-Changing Art of Self-Brain Surgery was a New York Times bestseller. His books have been translated into seven languages.

Dr. Warren lives in Nebraska with his wife, Lisa. They have four living children and a growing collection of grandkids. Learn more about Dr. Warren at wleewarrenmd.com and on Instagram @drleewarren.