Healing from Trauma: A Survivor's Guide to Understanding Your Symptoms and Reclaiming Your Life

by Jasmin Lee Cori, Robert Scaer (Foreword)

While there are many different approaches to healing trauma, few offer a wide range of perspectives and options. With innovative insight into trauma-related difficulties, Jasmin Lee Cori helps Understand trauma and its devastating impacts Identify symptoms of trauma (dissociation, numbing, etc.) and common mental health problems that stem from trauma Manage traumatic reactions and memories Create a more balanced life that supports your recovery Choose appropriate interventions (therapies, self-help groups, medications and alternatives) Recognize how far you've come in your healing and what you need to keep growing Complete with exercises, healing stories, points to remember, and resources, this is a perfect companion for anyone seeking to reclaim their life from the devastating impacts of trauma.

Genres: Psychology, Self Help, Nonfiction, Mental Health, Health, Biography, Personal Development

260 pages, Paperback

First published January 7, 2007

About the author

Jasmin Lee Cori, MS, LPC, is a licensed psychotherapist who specializes in working with adults who experienced childhood abuse and neglect. She has worked in human service agencies and private practice, and taught psychology in colleges and professional schools. She is the author of numerous articles and five books, including Healing From Trauma.

Reviews

[d · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really good first book to read if you have PTSD (or suspect you do). The author writes clearly and succinctly, so it's easy to understand even if you have attention problems. There are no detailed accounts of traumatic events, so it is less triggering than other books on trauma. The exercises come in the form of self quizzes, which are short, helpful, and powerful (I have had to be careful not to overwhelm myself answering some of the questions, but there is a lot in the book about pacing yourself to avoid being flooded). The author has a caring and compassionate tone; I felt understood and supported by her as I was reading.

I almost skipped the chapter in the book on spirituality because I'm not interested in that stuff right now, but I'm glad that I didn't. It was completely non-denominational and general, and it helped me be find a more balanced attitude towards spiritual experience. She advocates remaining open to heightened/spiritual states but not using "transcendence" to override or blot out painful feelings, which is something I've done (or tried to do) in the past.

The author suggests a lot of caution regarding taking psych meds to help with PTSD, although she acknowledges that there is a place for them. She is much less wary of supplements, which bothers me (it was the only thing that bothered me about the book), since they are not proven to be effective.

With no other caveats, this is a wonderful book that I found very helpful. I appreciate the obvious love and care that went into it.

[Carla Sofia Sofia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay so I didn't find all of it helpful, but still giving it 5 stars bc it was THE most helpful book on trauma and healing that I have ever read. It never felt like Cori was wasting the reader's time by overexplaining a point. The book is thorough and covers a wide range of topics relevant to trauma while being concise and providing actionable steps. As someone recovering from trauma, I have read so many self help books: too many dwell in the abstract or in contrast, spend too much time on the specific experiences of the author. This book manages to walk the fine line between psychological theory and personal experiences with care and thought. I learned new concepts from it (containment v carthasis, for example) and received a clearer understanding of ideas I had previously known. Cori does at times dive a bit too deeply into new age spirituality for my comfort, but importantly, she does not let it overwhelm the text, and practices self restraint that prevents the book from getting preachy. If I could only recommend one self help book, it would be this one.

[Leanne Albillar · Rating 1 out of 5]

This started okay, although it was nothing special. However, the lengthy anti-medication rant is dangerous and irresponsible, especially when addressing traumatized people. There’s a way to discuss medication pitfalls without demonizing meds, and this book didn’t pull that off. It also suggests natural remedies without applying the same caveats, and ignores that many herbs, supplements etc are contraindicated with certain medications or conditions, and also come with their own side effects. “Natural” doesn’t automatically mean safe.

Rather than reading this book as an introduction to life with trauma, I recommend Babette Rothschild’s “8 Keys to Safe Trauma Recovery”.

[Bridgett · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. I related very well to most of the material covered and it reminded me of some things I learned in therapy. The exercises in the book were great.

[Pegah Yakhchalian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jasmin Cori is a great psychotherapist who wrote this book in the way like she talks to you.
This book has the ability of deep penetration into your mind to change and to pull you out of a bad situation inch by inch.
It is really helpful for all.
It’s wonderful for the one who experience some difficulty in their life .

[Janey Skinner · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had read most of this book before, as I use it in a class, but there was a chapter or two that I don't assign and hadn't read.... now I have. It's a useful book for survivors, with practical suggestions for supporting one's healing, using diverse approaches - from psychotherapy to somatics to journaling to spiritual practices. It works well for my students, too - very approachable language.

[Daria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Es gibt vermutlich nur sehr wenige Strategien der Traumatherapie und -heilung, die in diesem Buch nicht erwähnt werden. Es ist eine sehr gute Übersicht über die Möglichkeiten der Heilung, die es gibt und die Ressourcen, die man hierfür nutzen kann. Ich denke, jede*r Betroffene kann hier viel mitnehmen und neue Einblicke und Ansätze finden.

[Jasmin · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was very validating, and like being seen for the first time. A thorough book on trauma, that's written in an easy to understand way. Each chapter is summarised at the end to ensure the main points are received. Would recommend.

[Roozbeh Daneshvar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Do you have some bad memories from the past that you still remember the scene vividly and those memories are capable of triggering you even now, many many years, even decades, later?

If yes, this might be a sign of a trauma in the past that has left the traces up until now. This book talks about traumas and how they leave their imprint on us. The impact is not only mental, but can also be physiological, too.

The book steers away from depicting any troubling images and maintains a neutral tone throughout the whole text. However, the first half might be upsetting, when she talks about the depth of impact of traumas and the extent to which they can leave their traces.

The second half is more focused on coping with trauma. Again, the tone remains neutral and the instructions are straightforward and clear. One major lesson from this book might be not to expect a full resolution on your traumas, but learn how to cope with them:

"As one therapist said, some of your trauma-related thoughts, feelings, and coping mechanism may always stay with you, but they don't need to rule you"

It also talks about embracing the suffering and pain:

"Keeping in touch with our human suffering and imperfection gives us a humility that is helpful in life. Without humility, we can't identify with the challenges of other people and tend to judge them. We also tend to think we're above a fall. We're never above a fall. Suffering is just part of life."

and how limited we are at some aspects:

"The Zen teacher Charlotte Joko Beck talks about letting life be as it is rather than insist it conform to how we prefer it to be. Much of our suffering comes from having an idea that we should be above suffering. We must give up our demand that life be easy, that we get what we want, or that we rise above suffering"

If you would like to know more about traumas, either in general, or in yourself, or in people around you, or even explore whether you have had any or not, this might be a good book.

[Michelle Sebly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book.

Very user-friendly.

Approaches the subject from a very unique perspective.

Author may be Pagan, not sure?

Very empowering in that it ... shows the trauma survivor they are not alone in their symptoms, feelings, or perceived handicaps.

Empowering in that ... it gives the survivor TOOLS ... to assist in working through the very specific challenges a trauma survivor experiences.

Anyone who feels as though they can't get past something difficult or traumatic in their lives, should read this book.

INVALUABLE.

[Diana · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this book up for work and really think it's great, both for its gentle tone and practical advice. I recommend it to many people as an easy-to-understand introduction to the topic of trauma, especially for people who may have experienced it and don't have the context to understand their experience. As a bonus, it's nice that it's generally non-triggering for survivors, but it is clear that she knows her subject well.

[Caitlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good read for (in my opinion) anybody who's lived as a person in society. If you haven't had any "big T" traumas, or what people often think of when they think of trauma as near death experience, war or assault, I'd still recommend it for "little t" traumas that pretty much every human experiences. Otherwise I thought it could have used a bit of elaboration on the point of boundaries, since that is so crucial to anyone who's had abuse/assault experiences, but there's always something.

[Stephani Jahn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Less science-y option than The Body Keeps The Score for people looking to learn about healing their trauma. It has fewer stories of trauma (which can be triggering), and more reflection prompts. TBKTS is important and a fantastic book, but I recommend this one a little more often to my therapy clients. Cori has a warmth to her writing.

[Mattia · Rating 5 out of 5]

THANK YOU for writing a book about trauma that doesn't revolve around detailed triggering stories! This book is practical, detailed, and helpful. Good starting point if you're having frequent emotional flashbacks.

[Jen McIntyre · Rating 5 out of 5]

The most practical book on healing from trauma that I've read. Highly recommended!

[julia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holistic and down to earth.

[Nina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, this book is really awesome if you want to understand more about your trauma and how to work on healing it. The subtitle of the introduction is ‘A Trauma Book For Those In The Trenches’, and this titles absolutely fulfils this claim.
The general structure of each chapter is always the same. First you find background knowledge for people who are not experts, which is concise and easy to understand. There are no specialist discussions, instead you get the generally accepted mainstream explanations, e.g. what happens during a panic attack, how and why your body automatically takes over, etc. . Mind, the explanations are really good. The author has worked quite comprehensively and covers a wide range of topics, and due to the given sources you can find more information on trauma. Jasmin Lee Cori emphasizes that the books in the resources chapter are not the ones for therapists. Nevertheless you can also find classics like Waking The Tiger, which most therapists dealing with trauma probably know.
After the general information you find the ten most important pieces of information listed in short. Added to each chapter is a box with questions or suggestions, so that you can find out what of a given chapter might apply to you, and how so. Even though these parts are usually rather short, they are definitely very useful, since they are thoughtful points that you can explore to get a better picture of what you are dealing with.

All in all, Healing from Trauma is a really great title. I really liked the thoughtful questions and thought provoking points in it. The title is not meant to replace therapy or counselling, but it can definitely be very helpful in finding out where you are on your healing journey, and if you seriously work with this book I am convinced it can be a great help in therapy, too.
Definitely 5 out of 5 stars.

[Shelby · Rating 5 out of 5]

As someone who has not only experienced trauma myself but also as a licensed mental health counselor - I find this book immensely beneficial. As someone on my own journey to healing I was consistently reminded that while difficult healing is possible. As a healer I learned valuable techniques to use with my clients.
This is a book I will consistently pull from the shelf and revisit. While it is impossible in the world of trauma recovery to cover every possibility I felt this book included the vast majority of options. There is something for everyone.
I also found this book to be very empathetic and validating. This is important in discussing trauma. My only complaint is the occasional use of the word "victim" in referring to the trauma survivor. As a trauma informed clinician I felt discomfort in using this word due to the negative connotations. Healing from trauma is journey from victim to survivor to thriver. However, overall I definitely will be recommending this book to clients.

[Danielle Carlson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is an excellent starting place for anyone who has experienced trauma and suspects they may have PTSD or CPTSD. This book does not go very in-depth, but rather provides an overview of how trauma can show up in your life and when you may need to pursue treatment options and gain additional resources in your healing process.

The process of considering various treatments, therapy options, lifestyle changes, etc. can be overwhelming and this book also provides a concise, straightforward path for where to start and what the process will look like.

Overall, I highly recommend this book!

[Reading With Tatiana · Rating 5 out of 5]

My first time to read a self help book and very helpful for my anxiety. Very insightful and lays out how trauma not only affects mentally but also in how we physically hold it in our bodies. Lots of exercises throughout the book to reflect and ask yourself how trauma has affected you. "The most important job we have is being our own life manager. Managing your life requires attention. Without awareness, we make the same mistakes again and again and don't benefit from the experience."

[Louisa]

pretty run of the mill, nice in that it gave a reasonably broad overview of different aspects of trauma (spirituality, body, emotional containment vs catharsis, therapies, behavioural interventions) and compared them, though it didn't go particularly in-depth into any one of them. 2007 seemed a bit early for a book like this but i guess i'm just terribly late to the game

[Hannah Gautreau · Rating 5 out of 5]

Provides a ton of practical advice for dealing with trauma and moving forward in life. I especially like the in chapter exercises that come with the book. It forces you to stop and think through your issues, and it let me do a TON of unpacking. Every trauma survivor should read this book.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Helpful. Would recommend.

This book will help you to understand the effects of trauma on your body, mind and relationships. But most importantly it will offer you the tools to help yourself through recovery. A positive book that gives hope.

[Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's OK I guess, not much stayed with it so best to choose as text instead of audio book (narrator not good for it). Did seem like it has some suggestions for how to deal with things and some examples.

[Gehan Osama Abdelgawad · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book. Great for understanding your symptoms.

[Susanne · Rating 1 out of 5]

“archived items”

[Kaleigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thorough description of symptoms, therapies, and helpful questions to take to providers (which are useful for symptoms not originating from trauma, as well).

[Angie Bates · Rating 5 out of 5]

10 stars, highest recommendation possible!!!!!

[Violet Fernandez · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the book and very useful. It help me a lot

[Lilia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Truly would not have recovered from a traumatic accident without this book. The author is a survivor of trauma herself, so the way she writes is incredibly soft and considerate of the reader.