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Healing for Damaged Emotions
Whether through our own fallen temperament, willful disobedience, or as victims of the hurtful actions of others, many of us struggle with crippling emotions, among them perfectionism, depression, and low self-worth. The pain of such emotions is often present with us even though the incidents and relationships that caused the hurt may be long past. Healing for Damaged Emotions , first published in 1981 and since translated into over 15 languages, has helped over a million readers worldwide deal honestly and successfully with their inner hurts. Through the realistic, scriptural approach that Dr. David Seamands brings to this deeply personal subject, you too can find healing -- and then become an agent of healing for other strugglers.
144 pages, Paperback
First published September 4, 1981
443 people are currently reading
2100 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 134 reviews
March 30, 2012
This book changed my life. It helped repair relationships, boost self image and esteem, gave me a better insight of the Lord and what he wants of me, and I could go on and on. It took me a 5 months to finish it because it was working intensely for me. It is important to to it with the workbook.... It will change your life:). I never understood that God actually does love me until now. I've given it to family and friends.
January 17, 2010
As someone who struggles with depression, I found this book to be really helpful. It has lots of good insights and helps us understand what depression really is. I found it particularly freeing for those of us who can sometimes feel that it's not "right" for a Christian to be depressed.
August 23, 2023
I would have given it 2 stars but the reason I did not is the ending (spoiler it is spicy).
If someone would have asked me how I see this book this would be my answer: "Basic and pop-therapy advice filled with Jesus flavor". I think everything that I will explain in details, besides the ending, is quite clear from the description but lets take them one by one.
I think the author with his realization of the problem is so close to the truth but when you think he might get it he makes a 180 and he goes back on it. The main problem he starts with is that he saw during his ministry that some people, even if they are true believers, have some problems they can't manage with the usual stuff like: praying more, reading the bible more or going to the church. So he think maybe he other solutions are needed not the classical ones and maybe the classical ones need to be actively avoided. So he almost gets it that those things don't help with real problems only superficial stuff but he does not make the connection. But at least he start to give advice.
He gives a few solutions: talking to people, accepting yourself, forgiving you and others and other known psychology advice. I don't have a problem with this advice and in general I think it is good. The problem comes after where he adds God out of thin air after the problem is solved. It feel like he tries hard to make it clear this book is not just self help but a christian book. To illustrate better I will give an example. At one point he is talking about accepting your feeling and this is a good idea because denying does not help. But after this he says something along the line: let Jesus fill the holes in your heart after. This did not feel necessary.
Then what he does a lot is that in the moment where he has no solution he goes to the standard christian solutions but rebranded. So he frames it as you not having a good theology or not understanding God's real personality (so a little victim blame because after all he is an evangelical) and that is why his grace did not change you deep. Also as a small detail: he keeps a lot of contradicting ideas he is not aware of. On one hand the Holy Spirit changes you deeply on the other he does not really change everything and also some changes are slow (almost like it is time passing and you changing not the work of God I would add).
He engages in a little framing us vs them (the kind christians love) but this being a book made for believers he is not engaged so hard into hating non christians (in a holly manner of course) so I will not describe this more.
The framing is also really interesting but I will not talk more about this because I don't want to leave u waiting for the juicy final. He uses the anecdotal fallacy a lot in this book. I think I only remember one time where he quotes what he says it was a survey when he talks about the main reasons women don't feel good in their marriage. Other then this it seems like collecting ideas chaotically from pop psychology and confirming them with bible stories and with personal experience stories. I swear this people doing counseling should not be legal. People trust them like they trust a psychologist but his only training is studying an ancient book (no problem that is old the problem is this book is many things except a psychology manual). And growing up in an evangelical church I can tell you people who are "poor in spirit" eat this stories up more then the bible. So I think this is very dangerous.
And now the ending :) So I think a lot of ways that would help me understand his life actions trough his book. Maybe he had some deeply hurt sides that the classical christian ways won't heal, maybe she did, maybe this is a great way he can fill the holes the spirit does not or maybe he is was frustrated from his marriage. Anyway I will leave this here: "One of the roots of my sin has been the sin of pride," Seamands told Wilmore United Methodist Church on Sunday. "In response to a complaint filed against me of sexual misconduct with an adult female occurring over a number of years, I admit that I have broken my covenantal relationships and have abused the trust of those I have harmed." https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/... I let you judge what and why and how. And also I have checked he was still married (I know for evangelicals it does not matter but for me the real problem is the cheating not having outside marriage sex).
I need to stop reading trash books because I end up writing long reviews. Good books are hard to review because I only feel like saying: Go read it! Anyway this is a clear: Don't read it! (except if you are an evangelical and need copium)
If someone would have asked me how I see this book this would be my answer: "Basic and pop-therapy advice filled with Jesus flavor". I think everything that I will explain in details, besides the ending, is quite clear from the description but lets take them one by one.
I think the author with his realization of the problem is so close to the truth but when you think he might get it he makes a 180 and he goes back on it. The main problem he starts with is that he saw during his ministry that some people, even if they are true believers, have some problems they can't manage with the usual stuff like: praying more, reading the bible more or going to the church. So he think maybe he other solutions are needed not the classical ones and maybe the classical ones need to be actively avoided. So he almost gets it that those things don't help with real problems only superficial stuff but he does not make the connection. But at least he start to give advice.
He gives a few solutions: talking to people, accepting yourself, forgiving you and others and other known psychology advice. I don't have a problem with this advice and in general I think it is good. The problem comes after where he adds God out of thin air after the problem is solved. It feel like he tries hard to make it clear this book is not just self help but a christian book. To illustrate better I will give an example. At one point he is talking about accepting your feeling and this is a good idea because denying does not help. But after this he says something along the line: let Jesus fill the holes in your heart after. This did not feel necessary.
Then what he does a lot is that in the moment where he has no solution he goes to the standard christian solutions but rebranded. So he frames it as you not having a good theology or not understanding God's real personality (so a little victim blame because after all he is an evangelical) and that is why his grace did not change you deep. Also as a small detail: he keeps a lot of contradicting ideas he is not aware of. On one hand the Holy Spirit changes you deeply on the other he does not really change everything and also some changes are slow (almost like it is time passing and you changing not the work of God I would add).
He engages in a little framing us vs them (the kind christians love) but this being a book made for believers he is not engaged so hard into hating non christians (in a holly manner of course) so I will not describe this more.
The framing is also really interesting but I will not talk more about this because I don't want to leave u waiting for the juicy final. He uses the anecdotal fallacy a lot in this book. I think I only remember one time where he quotes what he says it was a survey when he talks about the main reasons women don't feel good in their marriage. Other then this it seems like collecting ideas chaotically from pop psychology and confirming them with bible stories and with personal experience stories. I swear this people doing counseling should not be legal. People trust them like they trust a psychologist but his only training is studying an ancient book (no problem that is old the problem is this book is many things except a psychology manual). And growing up in an evangelical church I can tell you people who are "poor in spirit" eat this stories up more then the bible. So I think this is very dangerous.
And now the ending :) So I think a lot of ways that would help me understand his life actions trough his book. Maybe he had some deeply hurt sides that the classical christian ways won't heal, maybe she did, maybe this is a great way he can fill the holes the spirit does not or maybe he is was frustrated from his marriage. Anyway I will leave this here: "One of the roots of my sin has been the sin of pride," Seamands told Wilmore United Methodist Church on Sunday. "In response to a complaint filed against me of sexual misconduct with an adult female occurring over a number of years, I admit that I have broken my covenantal relationships and have abused the trust of those I have harmed." https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/... I let you judge what and why and how. And also I have checked he was still married (I know for evangelicals it does not matter but for me the real problem is the cheating not having outside marriage sex).
I need to stop reading trash books because I end up writing long reviews. Good books are hard to review because I only feel like saying: Go read it! Anyway this is a clear: Don't read it! (except if you are an evangelical and need copium)
February 4, 2022
This has a unique perspective on the emotions that affect us in our current situations. Things that has affected us in the past brings itself in the present.
This has a lot of good points to the table that is worth noting. The only thing in my opinion is that this is a writing style that is delivered like a sermon. Very drawn out and flowy. The material is worth pushing through, but the material is a slow read.
This has a lot of good points to the table that is worth noting. The only thing in my opinion is that this is a writing style that is delivered like a sermon. Very drawn out and flowy. The material is worth pushing through, but the material is a slow read.
June 4, 2025
Not exactly sure why I didn't love this. I think it's this: Seamands talked quite a lot about how forgiveness is the beginning for a lot of deep healing to occur. Well, if you're going to deliver a message like that, then you have to expand upon that. Forgiveness— what does that look like? I'm not saying there is a universal path to forgiveness or a single description of forgiveness that you can apply to every person, but at least discuss how it can look for different people. And you can't talk about forgiveness like it is the thing you must do before the rest of the healing process can happen, because well, what if someone feels like they can't forgive? Are you telling someone they will never heal? And if you think that, then how do you address that in a different way than saying you will be condemned if you are unable to forgive?
You know what, I think this is also why I didn't love the book: Seamands doesn't write for an audience outside of the Christian/religious/spiritual community. I just feel like a lot of this was written for someone who already knows God, someone who has grown up inside the church. If I was someone who didn't know God or understand the gospel, I wouldn't really get much out of it. I acknowledge a lot of the content was from personal experiences/testimonies, and maybe Seamands just wanted to share that with people through published copies. But I guess it's my personal opinion that if you're going to make something available to the public, you ought to consider that there are all kinds of people who may come across it, and wouldn't you want them to be included in healing too?
I still think it was an overall okay read because sure, maybe there are some deeper wounds that we get as a child that are worth investigating, and reading about other people's experiences help you look at your own. For me personally, I didn't think it was necessarily life-changing, but I can see how it can be helping others give voice to the hurts they may be carrying subconsciously.
You know what, I think this is also why I didn't love the book: Seamands doesn't write for an audience outside of the Christian/religious/spiritual community. I just feel like a lot of this was written for someone who already knows God, someone who has grown up inside the church. If I was someone who didn't know God or understand the gospel, I wouldn't really get much out of it. I acknowledge a lot of the content was from personal experiences/testimonies, and maybe Seamands just wanted to share that with people through published copies. But I guess it's my personal opinion that if you're going to make something available to the public, you ought to consider that there are all kinds of people who may come across it, and wouldn't you want them to be included in healing too?
I still think it was an overall okay read because sure, maybe there are some deeper wounds that we get as a child that are worth investigating, and reading about other people's experiences help you look at your own. For me personally, I didn't think it was necessarily life-changing, but I can see how it can be helping others give voice to the hurts they may be carrying subconsciously.
April 29, 2011
This book is one of my favorite religious books. Last year, when I was having a depressive disorder last semester, I read this book and helped out from it. The story is about how we can heal for damaged emotions. There are different cases about the people who have low self-esteem for themselves. I am the one of those people feel I do not have any confidence about me includes, my appearance or my personality and so on. Having a low confident, the reason is base on his or her backgrounds. I am the middle of the child and I have smart older brother and cute younger sister. I always was jealous about their good characters and abilities. I too much care about the people’s thought about me. This book explained to us that how we get self-esteem in Jesus. I think I recovered from this book and recommended to my parents to read this.
October 26, 2014
This book started off ok but I lost interest when it started talking about Jesus feeling like dying. I don't think the Son of God felt so "down" ot "depressed" that he felt like dying. I feel that is reading way too much into the scripture. He felt the weight of the sins of the world, yes, but like dying?!!? That's just plain crazy!
May 30, 2012
Many years ago this book changed my life!!!
I was already a believer for a long time,
yet struggling with and because of my past.
The Lord used this book to help see Him and
my life better, and lead me to forgive and
move on... I'm forever thankful!
I was already a believer for a long time,
yet struggling with and because of my past.
The Lord used this book to help see Him and
my life better, and lead me to forgive and
move on... I'm forever thankful!
March 4, 2012
An illuminating book, even though I read it in Russian translation.
May 18, 2017
This book applies the gospel to various types of damaged emotions and struggles such as perfectionism and depression. He doesn't give pat answers like "pray more," but instead offers practical, helpful steps for growing in understanding of God's grace and in forgiveness of others. He also offers a hopeful message of God "recycling" our hangups into wholeness that is for the good of those around us as well.
October 23, 2025
Important book! I think if you have ever struggled with emotions you feel like “you shouldn’t feel as a Christian” this book is incredibly helpful in understanding those. And how God welcomes all those emotions/understands them. You can be yourself in Jesus & he wants you to heal and grow to be the person he intended you to be!
December 6, 2025
So many good nuggets in the book- I went through it very slowly. It’s a small book but gives you enough to chew on.
March 28, 2021
Timely
don't have the words to adequately express how timely and necessary this work is. so many are experiencing less than God's best in this life due to not coming to Him fully with our emotions. His healing can be experienced in the land of the living - this book is evidence of this. Timely read for me and an absolute necessity for many.
don't have the words to adequately express how timely and necessary this work is. so many are experiencing less than God's best in this life due to not coming to Him fully with our emotions. His healing can be experienced in the land of the living - this book is evidence of this. Timely read for me and an absolute necessity for many.
October 14, 2024
One of the best books on the topic of healing life traumas that I have had the opportunity to read. The author approaches the problem from a Christian perspective, but I believe that readers with different viewpoints could also benefit from this text. I highly recommend it!
November 29, 2021
An excellent -- and profound -- book, which details how emotional hurts suffered in the past affect our present lives and relationships and, in a Biblical way, how we can -- with God's help -- reprogram our hearts to achieve greater freedom.
December 29, 2023
Shoutout Kenny JJ for reading this one with me. Excellent book. Read it very slow and talk about it with a friend. I’m thankful for conviction and freedom from sin. It’s written in a very easy to read conversational tone. It’s a book filled with grace. 100% recommend
June 6, 2013
I thought this book was excellent, and one of the best books to explain what it means to be a Christian and to be depressed.... I felt like this author had a balanced view and wasn't accusing people who have dealt with depression of being guilty of sin. He included information on the physical aspect, as well as the emotional, spiritual, and psychological. I also felt he understood how traumatic events in childhood affect how quickly a person can heal or what they struggle with. I felt that his viewpoint throughout the book was compassionate and knowledgeable. I would definitely recommend this book to others who have struggled with grief and depression and other debilitating emotional issues.
April 6, 2016
The author has an uncanny knack for misusing Scripture. Almost as a rule. Besides that, it's a good book. Especially considered as a pioneering work.
He addresses three primary topics: self-image, perfectionism, and depression. Regarding self-image, he handles it well generally. The weakness being that he lumps self-image in with self-esteem and in the process loses some traction.
His handling of perfectionism is excellent. The strong point of the book.
His handling of depression is ok for it's time. Unfortunately he ignores the medical aspects of depression entirely. And makes some concerningly sweeping statements. Still, a generally good handling.
This book is worth the read if you're interested in self-image or perfectionism issues in counselling.
He addresses three primary topics: self-image, perfectionism, and depression. Regarding self-image, he handles it well generally. The weakness being that he lumps self-image in with self-esteem and in the process loses some traction.
His handling of perfectionism is excellent. The strong point of the book.
His handling of depression is ok for it's time. Unfortunately he ignores the medical aspects of depression entirely. And makes some concerningly sweeping statements. Still, a generally good handling.
This book is worth the read if you're interested in self-image or perfectionism issues in counselling.
January 27, 2008
Older book but still very relavent.
This book helps the Chrisitan realize that there are still human emotions; depression, anger, guilt, etc, that one still lives and deals with as a Chrisitan. These emotions do not make a person less of a Christian. There is hope and growth thru Jesus Christ and not always instant healing.
This book helps the Chrisitan realize that there are still human emotions; depression, anger, guilt, etc, that one still lives and deals with as a Chrisitan. These emotions do not make a person less of a Christian. There is hope and growth thru Jesus Christ and not always instant healing.
October 20, 2008
I don't have a review for this one.
If you have damaged emotions, you should read it.
Otherwise, no.
If you have damaged emotions, you should read it.
Otherwise, no.
January 30, 2009
Took me forever to get through this small book. Not because its hard to read. Just hard to swallow all the emotions it brought up. Great help in resolving abuse issues.
May 26, 2015
This book is simple and too the point. I really enjoyed it and now have it on all my devices to refer back to.
September 9, 2016
An awesome book that helped me understand the cause my depression and perfectionism and begin the process of healing in Christ.
July 26, 2022
Healing is a process. Healing isn't done by a simple press on a button. Healing starts with a decision. Healing takes time.
The most beautiful thing about this book was feeling that God knows and understands what we go through. No single human being never experienced bad days or sad events. Every human being went through days of loneliness, days of not belonging, days of betrayal, days of exhaustion or days where they felt they couldn't do a single thing.
Semands says that these feelings don't contradict being a Christian. These feelings are a part of being "human". These feelings that are sometimes overwhelming are known to God. God not only knows what being human is, but He experienced the life of a human being as well.
Knowing that the Father loves us humans no matter what we do, helps us become better human beings. Knowing that the Son experienced the life of a human being, helps us become better human beings. Knowing that the Holy Spirit is with us every step of the way, helps us become better human beings.
The healing process itself seems somewhat easier when you know that God knows pain and healing. The healing process seems easier when you know that God is with you every day and every moment, helping you and lifting you. God is not just a part of the process. God is the process, because with Him lies the key and the way.
The most beautiful thing about this book was feeling that God knows and understands what we go through. No single human being never experienced bad days or sad events. Every human being went through days of loneliness, days of not belonging, days of betrayal, days of exhaustion or days where they felt they couldn't do a single thing.
Semands says that these feelings don't contradict being a Christian. These feelings are a part of being "human". These feelings that are sometimes overwhelming are known to God. God not only knows what being human is, but He experienced the life of a human being as well.
Knowing that the Father loves us humans no matter what we do, helps us become better human beings. Knowing that the Son experienced the life of a human being, helps us become better human beings. Knowing that the Holy Spirit is with us every step of the way, helps us become better human beings.
The healing process itself seems somewhat easier when you know that God knows pain and healing. The healing process seems easier when you know that God is with you every day and every moment, helping you and lifting you. God is not just a part of the process. God is the process, because with Him lies the key and the way.
December 31, 2019
Pathway to Total Victory is how I describe my experience in reading Healing for Damaged Emotions. This is a good read for anyone who has experienced a painful last and are trying to make sense of it all.
There are so many Christians today, many who are in ministry, who are hurting because of not seeking healing of areas in their lives regarding past experiences that are difficult to talk about. Many of our churches today are not in a posture to help their members who have damaged emotions. This book was like a therapeutic counseling session which helped me see my past hurtful experiences from God's perspective. I now can continue on my path to being healed of my damaged emotions because I have a Father who loves me unconditionally and understands where I am in the healing process and He is the one that will cause all things, even my past hurts, to work together for my good and to bring Him glory.
There are so many Christians today, many who are in ministry, who are hurting because of not seeking healing of areas in their lives regarding past experiences that are difficult to talk about. Many of our churches today are not in a posture to help their members who have damaged emotions. This book was like a therapeutic counseling session which helped me see my past hurtful experiences from God's perspective. I now can continue on my path to being healed of my damaged emotions because I have a Father who loves me unconditionally and understands where I am in the healing process and He is the one that will cause all things, even my past hurts, to work together for my good and to bring Him glory.
May 16, 2024
This truly is "a counselor in a book." Seamands explains in laymen's terms how to identify the reason for your damaged emotions and then how to find healing. He admits that there are different types and causes of depression and gives us a good guide to distinguish them. He also taught me that it is not good enough to forgive a person, but that I should also learn to accept that person as he is. Only then will I learn to love that person. I plan to read the book again later, to allow the truths to sink in a little deeper. But for now, I feel as though I finally have the necessary tools to find healing for my damaged emotions. One of my favorite statements from this book (the one I shared the most when talking about it) was: "God loves us, not because we are good, but because we need His love in order to be good."
June 3, 2018
This book is phenomenal. I want to reread this and take notes on this. I kept thinking how many people this book could help.
Semands discusses how past hurts can leave us with gaping wounds that we need to heal, how Satan works in those wounds and how we need to give them to God. He discusses being hurt by others, shame and guilt at our own mistakes, as well as just being upset at injustices.
"God is the great Alchemist who, if you will let him, will turn it all into spiritual gold. He is the Master Weaver who can take every damage, every hurt, every crippling infirmity and weave them all into His design...yes, even though their threads were spun by evil, ignorant, and foolish hands."
I would recommend this book to anyone looking for healing from their past.
Semands discusses how past hurts can leave us with gaping wounds that we need to heal, how Satan works in those wounds and how we need to give them to God. He discusses being hurt by others, shame and guilt at our own mistakes, as well as just being upset at injustices.
"God is the great Alchemist who, if you will let him, will turn it all into spiritual gold. He is the Master Weaver who can take every damage, every hurt, every crippling infirmity and weave them all into His design...yes, even though their threads were spun by evil, ignorant, and foolish hands."
I would recommend this book to anyone looking for healing from their past.
August 24, 2019
Very useful
This book dealt with an important issue for Christians, i.e. emotional challenges. Some persons discount emotional challenges among Christians, believing that Christians should be cured or automatically recover even they accept Christ. Seamands focused on perfectionism, depression and low self-esteem and showed how they are influenced by our background. He showed how they can be overcome.
I would have rated this book 4.5 out that were possible. My interest level went down for about two chapters in the middle of the book but perhaps that section was not relevant for me.
This book dealt with an important issue for Christians, i.e. emotional challenges. Some persons discount emotional challenges among Christians, believing that Christians should be cured or automatically recover even they accept Christ. Seamands focused on perfectionism, depression and low self-esteem and showed how they are influenced by our background. He showed how they can be overcome.
I would have rated this book 4.5 out that were possible. My interest level went down for about two chapters in the middle of the book but perhaps that section was not relevant for me.
November 22, 2019
A friend recommended this book to me when we were talking about Jesus as the wounded healer and what it means. I've always thought that past trauma and painful memories are a handicap, yet this book invited me to see how Scripture could be real in my life just as it was real in the life of Jesus when he lived and died as a human: That in weakness, God is my strength.
The most striking part of this book was when the author advised to revel (but he used the word glory) in only two things: The Cross and personal weaknesses.
Be excited in this: being healed is the path for us to then become helpers for others who also need that gentle refreshing healing balm of Christ.
The most striking part of this book was when the author advised to revel (but he used the word glory) in only two things: The Cross and personal weaknesses.
Be excited in this: being healed is the path for us to then become helpers for others who also need that gentle refreshing healing balm of Christ.
March 22, 2023
Profoundly impactful. I feel like I should read this book about 1200 more times. It was first written in the 80s, but so much of it felt like it was spoken directly to me right now. I generally have a hard time with non-fiction and especially sprititual books because they are so heady and deep, it takes a lot to digest them. This book WAS heady and deep, but I consumed it almost like I would a typical novel with the thought of, "ok...just one more chapter..." before reading more than one chapter. I cannot say enough good about it. I hope this one sticks with me for the rest of my life.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 134 reviews