The 10 Best Books for Healing Trauma/PTSD

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Hey, everyone! I love to read and learn more about how to treat trauma and PTSD, so I thought I’d share my favorite books about recovering from trauma and PTSD. #1. Ok, here’s my favorite PTSD Self-Help book: -Healing Trauma by Peter Levine. Awesome book explaining how trauma gets trapped in the body and how you can process through it and heal. A short read with gentle examples and some easy exercises. It’s my number one book about overcoming PTSD and trauma because it’s very accessible, not very triggering, easy to understand and comes with exercises to start healing your relationship with your body. #2 The body keeps the score by Bessel Van Der Kolk. Dr. Van Der Kolk has done so much research on effective treatments for PTSD and childhood trauma, and in this dense book he outlines how trauma impacts the brain, mind and body. Bessel explains what effective treatments are available, and gives some clear insights into actions both individuals and society as a whole can do to prevent and treat trauma, including childhood trauma. Includes a lot of detailed stories that could be quite triggering. This book has spent 74 weeks on Amazon’s top 20 nonfiction books and with good reason, it’s just a really good, really comprehensive approach to trauma. #3. The Transformation by Dr. James Gordon Written by a compassionate doctor who understands the biological and medical aspect of trauma treatment, but also the importance of dancing, laughing and pets as part of healing, this book is an excellent holistic approach to treating the body, mind and the heart after trauma. #4. Moving Beyond Trauma by Ilene Smith #5. Getting past your past by Francine Shapiro #6. I know why the caged bird sings- Maya Angelou #7. Man’s search for meaning- Viktor Frankl #8. My Story- Elizabeth Smart #9. Pete Walker- CPTSD-From Surviving to Thriving #10. What happened to you- Oprah

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Therapy in a Nutshell and the information provided by Emma McAdam are solely intended for informational and entertainment purposes and are not a substitute for advice, diagnosis, or treatment regarding medical or mental health conditions. Although Emma McAdam is a licensed marriage and family therapist, the views expressed on this site or any related content should not be taken for medical or psychiatric advice. Always consult your physician before making any decisions related to your physical or mental health. In therapy I use a combination of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Systems Theory, positive psychology, and a bio-psycho-social approach to treating mental illness and other challenges we all face in life. The ideas from my videos are frequently adapted from multiple sources. Many of them come from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, especially the work of Steven Hayes, Jason Luoma, and Russ Harris. The sections on stress and the mind-body connection derive from the work of Stephen Porges (the Polyvagal theory), Peter Levine (Somatic Experiencing) Francine Shapiro (EMDR), and Bessel Van Der Kolk. I also rely heavily on the work of the Arbinger institute for my overall understanding of our ability to choose our life's direction.

And deeper than all of that, the Gospel of Jesus Christ orients my personal worldview and sense of security, peace, hope, an