Can anyone recommend a trauma recover book?

[designer mom]

Hi there, I'm specifically dealing with childhood trauma recovery. I was abused and neglected by a severely narcissistic parent into my late 20's when I realized what was happening and cut off contact. I now struggle with severe guilt issues, PTSD and I suppose general effects of trauma. I found that trauma therapy was a little bit too intense for me at this time in my life (taking care of small children who can't have me distant and/or falling apart due to things that come up in therapy), but I have been able to tackle trauma books in small doses.

Can anyone recommend one? I haven't had the best of luck finding trauma recovery books that are specifically Christian, which frustrates me because I feel like that means that Christians are just sticking their heads in the sand when it comes to these issues, but I'm still hopeful that there are some out there that I haven't come across yet. I'm willing to read non-Christian trauma books as well, but I think that I really favor an approach that doesn't require me to travel back in time and re-parent myself or anything along those lines. Am I being unrealistic in that regard?

Thanks.

 

[PropheticTimes]

Safe Passage to Healing by Chrystine Oksana

From the Introduction:

Who Can Benefit?
This book is written for adult survivors of ritual abuse. However, survivors of any trauma may find it helpful. If you have been suffering the effects of incest, sadistic or violent abuse, or abuse at the hands of multiple perpetrators, this book may help in your healing. If you have been raised in a negative, critical, or fearful atmosphere, you may find issues in common with survivors. If you are suffering from chronic difficulties such as anxiety, sleeping disorders, food and chemical dependencies, depression, chronic fatigue or other unexplained chronic difficulties, and have not found relief despite professional treatment, this book describes tools for self-discovery that may lead to healing, no matter what the specific causes of that behavior might be.

The author does put an emphasis on spiritual healing. Although it is not specifically Christian (as I believe she wanted to reach as many hurting people as possible, regardless of faith), she does speak of God quite often.

I have this book and have gone through it once and I am on a second time around. There is tons of information on healing from abuse (no matter the source), so it is not something you can just sit down and read (it is recommended in small doses).

I hope this helps.

 

[PropheticTimes]

I'm willing to read non-Christian trauma books as well, but I think that I really favor an approach that doesn't require me to travel back in time and re-parent myself or anything along those lines. Am I being unrealistic in that regard?

Thanks.

The basis of any abuse-related healing comes down to our "inner child". It is this core of us, especially when it concerns abuse by a parent, that becomes most injured. It isn't so much about having to re-parent yourself as much as it is being the loving adult you didn't have to that injured child within you. Is it easy? No, far from it, I am still learning it. Not being shown it by my own parent leaves me with a lack of knowledge about how I should treat myself. If you are a parent yourself, it will help you to understand that love and caring between parent and child. Treat yourself with the same love, caring and protection you do your own child.

 

[Kristen.NewCreation]

While not a trauma book, The Search for Significance by Robert McGee is a great book for looking at us in Christ.

 

[Danoh]

Watch the video The Decision Destroyer on YouTube, by Steve Andreas.

 

[Johnnz]

This book was recommended to me by a Christian counsellor. It's not specifically Christian but has lots of really useful information.

Complex PTSD: From Surviving to Thriving by Pete Walker

John
NZ