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Transforming Trauma A Seven Step Process for Spiritual Healing
A Mystical Approach to Healing Trauma
To heal trauma, we have to start with its origin: disconnection from spiritual experience. This is the breakthrough premise of Transforming Trauma, Caroline Myss and James Finley's first audio-learning course on how combining contemplative and clinical practices can dramatically enhance our ability to heal.
This landmark seven-CD program begins with Caroline Myss, as she describes trauma as a gateway to transformation that beckons each one of us to the next phase of human evolution. Next, James Finley teaches you a seven-step process for spiritual healing, including how to follow the lead of mystics across the ages in the practice of meditation. Caroline Myss concludes your seminar by revealing why trauma “shatters our survival instinct”—and how the path of the mystic can return us to wholeness.
Suffering is an inherent part of an authentic spiritual life—but so is the liberation we find by working through it. With Transforming Trauma, now you have the support of two modern luminaries as you yourself become a healing presence for our collective human family.
To heal trauma, we have to start with its origin: disconnection from spiritual experience. This is the breakthrough premise of Transforming Trauma, Caroline Myss and James Finley's first audio-learning course on how combining contemplative and clinical practices can dramatically enhance our ability to heal.
This landmark seven-CD program begins with Caroline Myss, as she describes trauma as a gateway to transformation that beckons each one of us to the next phase of human evolution. Next, James Finley teaches you a seven-step process for spiritual healing, including how to follow the lead of mystics across the ages in the practice of meditation. Caroline Myss concludes your seminar by revealing why trauma “shatters our survival instinct”—and how the path of the mystic can return us to wholeness.
Suffering is an inherent part of an authentic spiritual life—but so is the liberation we find by working through it. With Transforming Trauma, now you have the support of two modern luminaries as you yourself become a healing presence for our collective human family.
First published July 1, 2009
7 people are currently reading
120 people want to read
About the author
Caroline Myss
176 books1,051 followersCaroline Myss was born on December 2, 1952 in Chicago, and grew up with her parents, and two brothers, one elder and one younger, in the Melrose Park, Illinois neighbourhood near Chicago. Caroline was raised a Catholic, and attended the Mother Guerin High School, River Grove, Illinois, run by the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods. She completed her Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism from the Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College in Indiana in 1974, and started her career in journalism in Chicago.
In the course of her career, she interviewed Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, M.D., the author of the famous book, On Death and Dying, which inspired her to pursue a Master's degree in theology from Mundelein College, Chicago, which she completed in 1979. She also claims to hold a Ph.D in "intuition and energy medicine", but the degree was granted by Greenwich University, a now-defunct correspondence school that was never accredited to deliver higher education awards by any recognized government accreditation authority.
She started giving medical intuitive readings in 1982 and co-founded a small New Age publishing company, Stillpoint Publishing in Walpole, New Hampshire, where she also worked as an editor in 1983, next she began consulting with holistic doctors, which in 1984, led to her extensive collaboration with Dr. Norman Shealy, an M.D. schooled at Harvard, and the founder of the American Holistic Medical Association, with whom she later co-authored, "Aids: Passageway to Transformation," in 1987, followed by "The Creation of Health: The Emotional, Psychological, and Spiritual Responses that Promote Health and Healing," in 1988. Deriving from her practice as a medical intuitive, she started writing books, in the field of energy medicine, and healing, all of which became New York Times Best Sellers.[18] Starting with Anatomy of the Spirit: The Seven Stages of Power and Healing (1996), which overlapped seven Christian sacraments with seven Hindu chakras and the Kabbalah's Tree of Life to create a map of the human "energy anatomy"; this was followed by Why People Don't Heal and How They Can (1998), which explored the reasons people do not heal through her concept of "woundology." Her next book, Sacred Contracts: Awakening Your Divine Potential (2002) dealt with the issue of finding "Life Purpose," while describing Sacred Contracts as "a set of assignments that our soul had formed around before incarnation". She has since appeared on the The Oprah Winfrey Show numerous times.
By 2000, she discontinued doing private medical intuitive readings, and instead started teaching it, through her workshops, seminars, radio shows and guided tours. She tours internationally as a speaker on spirituality and mysticism, and lives in Oak Park, Illinois, near Chicago. In 2003, she started the Caroline Myss Educational Institute, with Wisdom University in San Francisco.
Her 2007 book, "Entering the Castle" draws upon the writings of Saint Teresa of Ávila, a 16th century Carmelite nun, who wrote her most important work, The Interior Castle, towards the end of her life.
In the course of her career, she interviewed Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, M.D., the author of the famous book, On Death and Dying, which inspired her to pursue a Master's degree in theology from Mundelein College, Chicago, which she completed in 1979. She also claims to hold a Ph.D in "intuition and energy medicine", but the degree was granted by Greenwich University, a now-defunct correspondence school that was never accredited to deliver higher education awards by any recognized government accreditation authority.
She started giving medical intuitive readings in 1982 and co-founded a small New Age publishing company, Stillpoint Publishing in Walpole, New Hampshire, where she also worked as an editor in 1983, next she began consulting with holistic doctors, which in 1984, led to her extensive collaboration with Dr. Norman Shealy, an M.D. schooled at Harvard, and the founder of the American Holistic Medical Association, with whom she later co-authored, "Aids: Passageway to Transformation," in 1987, followed by "The Creation of Health: The Emotional, Psychological, and Spiritual Responses that Promote Health and Healing," in 1988. Deriving from her practice as a medical intuitive, she started writing books, in the field of energy medicine, and healing, all of which became New York Times Best Sellers.[18] Starting with Anatomy of the Spirit: The Seven Stages of Power and Healing (1996), which overlapped seven Christian sacraments with seven Hindu chakras and the Kabbalah's Tree of Life to create a map of the human "energy anatomy"; this was followed by Why People Don't Heal and How They Can (1998), which explored the reasons people do not heal through her concept of "woundology." Her next book, Sacred Contracts: Awakening Your Divine Potential (2002) dealt with the issue of finding "Life Purpose," while describing Sacred Contracts as "a set of assignments that our soul had formed around before incarnation". She has since appeared on the The Oprah Winfrey Show numerous times.
By 2000, she discontinued doing private medical intuitive readings, and instead started teaching it, through her workshops, seminars, radio shows and guided tours. She tours internationally as a speaker on spirituality and mysticism, and lives in Oak Park, Illinois, near Chicago. In 2003, she started the Caroline Myss Educational Institute, with Wisdom University in San Francisco.
Her 2007 book, "Entering the Castle" draws upon the writings of Saint Teresa of Ávila, a 16th century Carmelite nun, who wrote her most important work, The Interior Castle, towards the end of her life.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
October 18, 2020
4-5 stars for James Finley. 2-3 for Caroline Myss. As someone who works with people with complex PTSD, and someone with a masters in pastoral counseling, who is interested in my clients’ spiritual life, James Finley builds a beautiful bridge between the two worlds, which really are not separate. It would’ve been helpful for him to lay out the seven steps he talks about, and then summarize the seven steps, so it would be more clear.
Carolyn Myss on the other hand...I really don’t know why I continue to listen to her work. Her “Toughlove” schtick just makes my ears shut. I also did not find much value regarding trauma. She manages to redeem herself somewhat with the last story, but it was really hard for me to get through her section. There are much better sources like Tara Brach, Janina Fisher, Jack Kornfield, Bessel Vanderkolk, Kathy Steele, Pat Ogden, Donald Kalshed, to name but a small few who have done amazing work with trauma and attachment, many of whom weave spirituality into their work. I would also recommend bill Plotkin’s book Soulcraft if you were interested in the idea of a sacred wound or making your wound sacred.
Carolyn Myss on the other hand...I really don’t know why I continue to listen to her work. Her “Toughlove” schtick just makes my ears shut. I also did not find much value regarding trauma. She manages to redeem herself somewhat with the last story, but it was really hard for me to get through her section. There are much better sources like Tara Brach, Janina Fisher, Jack Kornfield, Bessel Vanderkolk, Kathy Steele, Pat Ogden, Donald Kalshed, to name but a small few who have done amazing work with trauma and attachment, many of whom weave spirituality into their work. I would also recommend bill Plotkin’s book Soulcraft if you were interested in the idea of a sacred wound or making your wound sacred.
July 9, 2021
HIGHLIGHTS:
1. What will I manage with greater care?
2. Nobody can one-up chaos.
3. Your instincts are your roots.
4. Addicts: I deserve. I blame. Self-inflicted wounds. Survival instincts are jammed. Sense of injustice for only them. Deep mistrust of God. Nothing is fair. “Should’ve”.
5. Meet the person at the level of their suffering and genuinely say, “I am so sorry that this is happening to you.”
- Don’t betray the truth of their resolution.
- Acknowledge the truth of their nature.
6. Be touched by the suffering.
- Trauma will take a chunk out of your normal common everyday sense.
7. Stay humble, who do you think you are? See me and you clearly.
8. Pray to be a good captain of the ship. Don’t fall off your ship.
- In trauma, we learn to be still and know that I’m with God.
- Pray to see clearly in the night. Trust the inner world over the outer world.
- Faith, stamina, knowing what healing requires.
- Don’t ask “why me?” or “why did this happen?”
9. To be with someone in the empathy of suffering and still be grounded.
10. There is no refuge from suffering.
- You cannot have your wounds take control over you.
- Go to your soul or call it back.
1. What will I manage with greater care?
2. Nobody can one-up chaos.
3. Your instincts are your roots.
4. Addicts: I deserve. I blame. Self-inflicted wounds. Survival instincts are jammed. Sense of injustice for only them. Deep mistrust of God. Nothing is fair. “Should’ve”.
5. Meet the person at the level of their suffering and genuinely say, “I am so sorry that this is happening to you.”
- Don’t betray the truth of their resolution.
- Acknowledge the truth of their nature.
6. Be touched by the suffering.
- Trauma will take a chunk out of your normal common everyday sense.
7. Stay humble, who do you think you are? See me and you clearly.
8. Pray to be a good captain of the ship. Don’t fall off your ship.
- In trauma, we learn to be still and know that I’m with God.
- Pray to see clearly in the night. Trust the inner world over the outer world.
- Faith, stamina, knowing what healing requires.
- Don’t ask “why me?” or “why did this happen?”
9. To be with someone in the empathy of suffering and still be grounded.
10. There is no refuge from suffering.
- You cannot have your wounds take control over you.
- Go to your soul or call it back.
January 18, 2012
Unusual Myss book, the majority of this audio is focused on a trauma healing set of lectures by James Finley, which are introduced by Caroline in her normal 'suck-it-up-&-get-over-it-already' brand of spiritual healing. (Probably the best description for her is 'bracing, but refreshing' not unlike being nailed by a bucket of ice water after opening a door, which sometimes is exactly what you need...pick yer poison...) Mr. Finley is much more subtle in comparison.
November 4, 2024
I would rate the James Finley sections of this audio course as six or seven stars. He is so wise snd compassionate and loving and soulful snd poetic, all if the things I love the most, all of the things that nourish my soul and pierce my heart. I feel I a better human being and a better psychotherapist having spent this time with Jim. And I have a better understanding of how to approach and work with trauma, my own and my clients, and how to call on and connect to a larger love so I can go into the darkness and pain of trauma and not be overwhelmed but create a container for healing. I was less impressed with the Carolyn Myss sections of this course. I find her to be wise and passionate, but also a bit abrasive and arrogant. I had this sense that she wanted us to go to war with the ego, and we need to do this to save humanity and our planet. I thought Jim’s approach was more how do we approach the ego and the wounds in the ego so that the trauma, the wounds, all dissolve into the larger, transcendent love that it just a limited expression of. Carolyn seems to call us into a fierceness with which to face the ego and Jim seems to call us into such a deep and tender vulnerability so that we discover, in that vulnerability, we discover what is strongest, and invincible in us. So, in the end, Carolyn in her presentation constricts my heart while Jim expands it and I think I and the world needs wide, expansive hearts right now.
January 10, 2021
All aspects of this book center around transforming trauma- and the root of that being healing through spirituality. Myss is excellent - I really connected with her view on trauma and the spiritual aspects of healing.
I was less impressed with Finley and therefore could not give this reading five stars. Finley made a few good points about meditation to be sure - however, he took the time to explain his negative experience as a monastic and the sexual assault he experienced. At one point he made a joke about his perception of the rigidity of monasticism, and how he lied to get into the monastery. I understand from his negative experience why he ultimately chose to disrobe, and I am grateful that he shared about not telling anyone - therefore not allowing those in a position of power the opportunity to correct the situation - which could have saved others from harm. However, unfortunately, his push to weave in his experience overshadows and taints all other points he tried to make - honesty I can't remember much else that he spoke about.
In my opinion Myss saved this reading - good thing it began and ended with her.
I was less impressed with Finley and therefore could not give this reading five stars. Finley made a few good points about meditation to be sure - however, he took the time to explain his negative experience as a monastic and the sexual assault he experienced. At one point he made a joke about his perception of the rigidity of monasticism, and how he lied to get into the monastery. I understand from his negative experience why he ultimately chose to disrobe, and I am grateful that he shared about not telling anyone - therefore not allowing those in a position of power the opportunity to correct the situation - which could have saved others from harm. However, unfortunately, his push to weave in his experience overshadows and taints all other points he tried to make - honesty I can't remember much else that he spoke about.
In my opinion Myss saved this reading - good thing it began and ended with her.
March 30, 2021
I'm a self-help junkie, but this book is REALLY hard to dig into unless you're a mental health or trauma-related professional. There aren't many footholds for the common reader to stand on, and James Finley's portion *really* turned me off (this audio is actually a recorded lecture, and this dude loves to repeat everything that comes out of his mouth... once, twice... up to three times because it just sounds so darn good).
At any rate, I'd stay the most value here is in the last five minutes. Which... all in all... don't waste your time. Recommended instead: Gabor Mate's work.
At any rate, I'd stay the most value here is in the last five minutes. Which... all in all... don't waste your time. Recommended instead: Gabor Mate's work.
December 9, 2025
Aside from the idea that healing is not only a mental process but a spiritual one, I could not remember a single useful thing from this book lol it probably didn’t help that the narrators of this audiobook sounded cult-y AF and I kind of tuned out.
February 19, 2021
5 stars for James Finley; 2 stars or Carolyn Myss. I find her to be highly aggravating. James' voice and words, though: balm.
January 31, 2017
How to recognize one's wounds and to heal accordingly. James Finley is inspiring.
August 15, 2021
Disliked the intro, the rest is pure Power
February 18, 2015
In 2009 I got hold of the session and at that time it was the right thing at the right time. It sparked off a whole healing process. At that time I was unable to listen to James Finley as his softness and differentness to Caroline Myss made me actually mad. As a person of free will :-) I listened only to Caroline and that over and over again.
Now 2015 I come across the session again and this time I listened to Caroline first and then to James Finley(I'm still listening). It does fit now. I'm at a different place.
James Finley is quite different to Caroline and now I am able to enjoy the different approaches to spiritual healing.
Now 2015 I come across the session again and this time I listened to Caroline first and then to James Finley(I'm still listening). It does fit now. I'm at a different place.
James Finley is quite different to Caroline and now I am able to enjoy the different approaches to spiritual healing.
October 25, 2012
I had a love/hate thing going with to co-author James Finley. I found him to be a bore 1/2 the time and was content to listen to him talk the other half. Mostly my issue is that the steps were not as clear as I wanted and I didn't gain that much from what I went through. I didn't make it to the end, so maybe it got better?
April 21, 2013
There's a whole lot of words just to say we should let our spirituality hold our wounds and meditation is the tool to do that. Along the way are a few tidbits of note but they are buried within as well as few and far between.
August 28, 2012
Myss mostly introduces Finley who gives his thoughts on spirituality in therapy/healing. Listening to her instead of reading is interesting. She sounds like a tough New York spiritual-intellectual.
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August 7, 2012very good!
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews