Psychology Trauma

When a traumatic event occurs, our body triggers its “fight or flight” response. In many scenarios, the emotional reactions of this response get trapped, disrupting the feedback loop between our mind and body, leading to an imbalance in our nervous system function. Over time this can cause chronic stress, pain, high blood pressure, and a weakened immune system. This, alongside regular triggers in our everyday life, will manifest into a disconnection between our mind and body and create a constant feeling of dissociation from our emotions, with minimal control over how we feel.

Just as you prepared your home to welcome a new child, it is important to prepare your heart and mind - especially if the child has suffered from a background of trauma. Perhaps your invitation for love is met with hostility and you find that this new member of your family rejects connection. It’s critical to acknowledge the effects of trauma on a child’s ability to attach. Mike and Kristin Berry realized this when they became adoptive and foster parents. They now offer guidance from their own journey to others parenting a child who has experienced past trauma.

Ten years ago, Ilyse Kennedy was a disconnected twenty-something, sitting on a therapy couch, grappling with her own trauma. Now, as a trauma therapist, Kennedy shows up ready to attune to her treasured clients. Those who meet her might be surprised to know that this twenty-something still lives within her. She also has a people pleaser, who caters to the needs of others for self-protection. Then there is the therapist within her, who offers tools and solutions for her clients. The twenty-something, people pleaser, and therapist are all parts within her.

Are you feeling overwhelming resentment toward your narcissistic mother? Do you feel frustrated because you can’t seem to find a way to heal and establish loving relationships with others? Award-winning author and narcissistic-abuse survivor Nanette Abigail knows a thing or two about this sensitive issue, laying out the crucial tools she used to create safe havens and find mental clarity for herself, and with her help, you can, too!

Trauma is much closer to home than many of us think. It affects those fleeing wars and veterans returning from combat. Yet, it also affects those who grew up with alcoholics or those who were subjected to physical, emotional, or sexual abuse. In his book, Dr. Bessel van der Kolk goes into detail about how this changes the way we think and offers an in-depth look at the new treatments that can help overcome trauma and reshape the brain.

This thoughtful and heartfelt book develops two main themes: the healing power of a compassionate understanding towards ourselves and others, and the ways boundaries are set within and around various areas of our lives. It examines how we live these boundaries, how they impact us, and what it takes to live these with deeper satisfaction. This book also addresses shame and rage; the impact of trauma; the power of parental messages, spoken and unspoken; and transgenerational burdens.

Break free from complex PTSD and explore critical links between trauma, the brain, and the body. A carefully curated collection of scientific insights, best practices, and shared experiences, Dr. Lockhart radiates empathy and resilience. She illuminates a gentle path for trauma survivors, especially veterans and women.

The relationship between trauma and mental health is becoming better recognized, but survivors and professionals alike remain confused about how best to understand and treat it. In Reclaim, through a series of case studies and expert analysis, Dr. Ahona Guha explores complex traumas, how survivors can recover and heal, and the nature of those who abuse.

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.

An essential resource for psychologists, therapists, and clinicians to help clients understand dissociation, make sense of their parts, and visualize depersonalization and derealization—a stigma-free guide from the bestselling author of Dissociation Made Simple.

Transform your relationship with difficult memories and emotions using EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) techniques you can practice at home. This practical workbook breaks down professional-grade therapeutic methods into simple, daily exercises anyone can use to reduce anxiety, process trauma, lift depression, and build emotional resilience.

We have learned how to suppress our pain and deny its presence, but when we fight against our internal turmoil, glimmers of peace are short-lived. Rejecting our suffering is not a sustainable solution because trauma is held in the body. In this book, Nityda Gessel invites listeners on a journey toward lasting freedom, with insights and experiential practices that marry the wisdom of Buddhist psychology, yogic teachings, and Indigenous understanding with somatic psychotherapy and neuroscience.

Now more children are attending school while experiencing significant chronic and acute stressors. What can educators do to support students, help them learn, and ensure they reach their full potential? Trauma-informed schools are lauded as one way to address this challenge, but trauma-informed pedagogy can be hard to define and difficult to implement. Trauma-Responsive Pedagogy explores the research and practices around trauma-informed education in an easy-to-digest, actionable text that elevates the healing and wellness of both the children and the adults in our classrooms.

For over 20 years, Jim Curtis has battled a mysterious chronic illness. He grew accustomed to living in pain, denial, and despair. But when traditional medical therapies didn't help, he sought answers elsewhere. He traveled the world and met a group of extraordinary people he calls the Stimulati - and what he learned from them ultimately changed his life.

Here’s the deal: chronic stress, anxiety, trauma—it’s all taking a toll on your nervous system, whether you realize it or not. And if left unchecked, these problems will get worse, not better. We’re talking about constant fatigue and a total breakdown of your physical and mental health. Not exactly the life you had in mind, right? But what if you had a roadmap—a proven blueprint—to actually heal your nervous system, so you can finally feel calm and in control again?

“What doesn’t kill us makes us stronger,” the adage—adapted from Nietzsche’s famous maxim—goes. But how much truth is there to that ubiquitous, inexhaustible saying? Tracing the lives of six people who have experienced profoundly life-changing events, journalist Mike Mariani explores the nuances and largely uncharted territory of what happens after one’s life is severed into a before and after. If what doesn’t kill us does not necessarily make us stronger, he asks, what does it make us?

Reclaiming Life After Trauma addresses both the physical and psychological expressions of PTSD, presenting an integrative, fast-acting, evidence-based, and drug-free path to recovery. Authors Daniel Mintie, LCSW, and Julie K. Staples, PhD, begin with an overview of PTSD and the ways in which it changes our bodies and minds. They present research findings on cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and yoga, giving the listener insights into how these powerful modalities can counteract and reverse the physical and mental aftereffects of trauma.

Are you sick and tired of bad habits dictating your life? Have you tried endless other solutions but nothing seems to work for more than a few weeks? Do you finally want to say goodbye to trauma/PTSD and discover something which works for you?...you can utilize principles of neuroplasticity to improve cognitive flexibility, eliminate depression, and so much more without experiencing any negative side effects and without spending a lot of money!

Trauma following automobile accidents can persist for weeks, months, or longer. Symptoms include nervousness, sleep disorders, loss of appetite, and sexual dysfunction. In Crash Course, Diane Poole Heller and Laurence Heller take listeners through a series of case histories and exercises to explain and treat the health problems and trauma brought on by car accidents.

Learn the accessible and deeply compassionate practices for healing trauma, known as the Five Strengths of applied Zen Buddhism. More than a philosophy, these body-based practices are backed by modern neuroscience research, and they can be applied by anyone suffering from trauma to begin experiencing relief.