Mental Trauma

In Achilles in Vietnam, Dr. Jonathan Shay used the story of the Iliad as a prism through which to examine how ancient and modern wars have battered the psychology of the men who fight. Now he turns his attention to the Odyssey, the story of a soldier's homecoming, to illuminate the real problems faced by combat veterans reentering civilian society. The Odyssey, Shay argues, offers explicit portrayals of behavior common among returning soldiers in our own culture: danger-seeking, womanizing, explosive violence, drug abuse, visitation by the dead, obsession, vagrancy and homelessness.

Understanding the Paradox of Surviving Childhood Trauma offers clinicians a new framework for understanding the symptoms and coping mechanisms displayed by survivors of childhood abuse. This approach considers how characteristics such as suicidality, self-harm, persistent depression, and anxiety can have roots in behaviors and beliefs that helped patients survive their trauma. This book provides practitioners with case examples, practical tips, and techniques for applying this mindset directly to their most complex cases.

Are you constantly feeling emotionally tortured by someone you used to love? Do you see no point in trying to get out because your abusive partner has taken control of your life? Abuse survivor turned domestic violence advocate, Marjorie Lise, knows this all too well. In her audiobook, she talks about how she was able to successfully stop suffering in silence and finally escape her abusive partner whom she had stayed with for an entire decade, with the hope that her experience will inspire you to take back control of your life, too.

With this workbook, you'll learn proven-effective skills that integrate self-forgiveness with acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), compassion-focused therapy (CFT), functional analytic psychotherapy (FAP), and relational frame theory (RFT). You'll develop the self-compassion and self-acceptance needed to overcome the sense of shame and guilt that's keeping you from a meaningful life. You'll also gain a new perspective on your life's story, empowering you to get in touch with your values and make an ongoing commitment to self-forgiveness.

Chase Andrews provides a no-nonsense approach to recovery and points out that while the process of recovery isn't easy, it can be simple and straight forward. This book will show you how to heal from past traumatic events in less than 30 minutes a day.

Cowritten by a patient who experienced transformative relief from trauma through EMDR therapy, and a world-renowned psychologist who explains exactly how and why EMDR works, Every Memory Deserves Respect provides clear information while offering inspiration and hope. Through compelling science and personal stories, we learn how trauma is stored in the brain and body, continuing to cause pain and suffering, and how EMDR frees us by repatterning our thinking and emotional reactions.

Understanding how our brains and bodies actually work is a powerful tool in mitigating the anxiety generated by unpleasant physical and emotional symptoms that we all may experience from time to time. Here, Robert Scaer unravels the complexities of the brain-body connection, equipping all those who are in distress with a plausible explanation for how they feel.

Do you feel anxious in relationships—desperate for reassurance yet terrified of abandonment? You’re not broken—you’re wired for connection, and you can feel secure. You don’t have to settle for anxiety-ridden relationships or second-guess your worth. Healing is possible, love is within reach, and security starts from within. It’s time to let go of fear and step into the love you were meant for. Your new story begins now—press play and start living it.

A guided tour through the body’s innate healing powers. Many of us have learned to ignore, deny, or even mistrust the wise messages our bodies give us. The result is that when trauma strikes, a time when we need every aspect of our beings to master the challenge, we may find ourselves disconnected from our greatest strengths. Suzanne Scurlock-Durana, who has spent 30 years studying the gifts of the body and teaching thousands how to reclaim them, began to recognize this strength, which she likens to a GPS, when she herself experienced a life-threatening trauma.

Have you ever found yourself lying awake at night, overwhelmed with questions about your life, your relationships, and how much you truly value yourself? If you've ever felt stuck in negative cycles or disconnected from your true self, know that you're not alone. This book was written for those seeking answers and true happiness. And if you're curious to know how, then continue reading to uncover more. Our inner child holds the key to our emotional well-being, yet so many of us walk through life carrying the heavy burden of our past traumas.

Shadows of Silence: Healing From Childhood Emotional Neglect is a compassionate and transformative guide for anyone who has experienced the silent wounds of neglect, abandonment, and emotional deprivation during their formative years. Emotional neglect, though often invisible, can leave deep scars that affect self-worth, relationships, and overall well-being well into adulthood. This book offers a powerful combination of reflections and actionable strategies designed to help you overcome the lingering effects of childhood emotional neglect.

Trauma-Informed Yoga for Survivors of Sexual Assault provides a comprehensive overview of how to offer yoga to survivors of sexual assault in a safe, effective, evidence-based, and healing way. Zahabiyah A. Yamasaki, founder of Transcending Sexual Trauma through Yoga, draws on the framework of trauma-informed care and trauma-informed yoga program development and curriculum, while also weaving in personal narrative and inspiring survivor stories.

Trauma and its effects can feel like a never-ending storm, and there's no safe harbor in sight from the thoughts and emotions that toss and turn so violently and unpredictably in your head. But healing is possible. Your brain can actually rewire these thoughts and emotions. And you can direct that powerful healing process through journaling.

The main goal of this book is to identify and define the characteristics of Trauma Bonding as a result of Narcissistic Abuse and Complex PTSD. Many survivors of abuse feel hopeless and trapped in their situation, not knowing that there is a way out. Survivors of this abuse usually get stuck in the repetitive patterns and don't recognize how to escape an unhealthy situation. Many survivors of abuse were never role modeled as to what a healthy relationship looks like, and therefore don't actually identify that their relationship is tragically unhealthy.

Now, you might be thinking, EMDR might be another one of those fads that will just waste your precious time and money. Or maybe you're concerned that the techniques will be too complex to understand, let alone perform on yourself. Those are legit concerns, but here's the thing: EMDR has been around for a while and its methods have been scrutinized, tested, and applauded by experts. Plus, this book breaks everything down into bite-sized, easy-to-digest chunks. No psychobabble, just straight-up, easy-to-follow guides.

Joseph Campbell – the great 20th Century mythologist – revolutionized our understanding of story and psychology with his exposition of the Hero’s Journey; the path of change undertaken by normal individuals that ultimately transforms their understanding of life. However, the Hero’s Journey does not work equally well for all – especially those who have already had their lives and selves irrevocably altered by early childhood trauma.

When Melissa Moore was 13 years old, her father said to her, "I know how to kill someone and get away with it". At the time she chalked it up to his love of detective novels, but it didn't change the fact that her father had always been someone who made her anxious. Two years later, in 1995, Melissa's father was arrested for the murder of eight women over a period of five years - he was the serial killer known nationally as the Happy Face Killer.

The companion workbook to Somatic Internal Family Systems Therapy—a practical guide to the 5 pillars of embodied IFS for trauma therapists, Somatic Experiencing™ practitioners, and mental health healers.

An innovative collection of research and theory from leading voices in the fields of trauma and somatic therapies, Somatic-Oriented Therapies represents a significant consolidation of innovative research and clinical approaches aimed at addressing trauma through various somatic modalities. In the past six decades, a multitude of therapeutic methods have emerged globally, revolutionizing trauma treatment and existential distress management. However, these approaches have often diverged, hindering the development of a cohesive, distinct field independent of traditional paradigms.

Today, trauma is everywhere, and it seems like everybody has it. Trauma shapes public debates on education, criminal justice and healthcare. It’s cited as a root cause of addiction, mental health issues, and relationship breakdowns. It permeates media, from music and television to films and books – my own included.