Recommendations For You From Others On This Journey
Below, you can find a long list of books sourced from a variety of online forums of those working through trauma. From workbooks to memoirs, this comprehensive collection is intended to be a source of comfort, guidance and reflection. Have a book you think belongs on this list? Submit your recommendation by visiting our contact page!
Books About EMDR
EMDR: The Breakthrough Therapy for Overcoming Anxiety, Stress, and Trauma
BY Francine Shapiro
This book provides an overview of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy, explaining its techniques and how it helps individuals overcome various psychological issues, including anxiety, stress, and trauma.
Emotional Healing at Warped Speed
BY David Grand
David Grand explores rapid emotional healing techniques, including EMDR, to help individuals quickly and effectively process and heal from emotional distress and trauma.
Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing
BY Francine Shapiro
A detailed exploration of EMDR therapy, this book dives into the methodology, science, and applications of EMDR, providing a comprehensive guide for practitioners and those interested in the therapy.
Getting Past Your Past
BY Francine Shapiro
This self-help book offers practical techniques based on EMDR therapy, aiming to help readers resolve past traumas, emotional pain, and negative memories that affect their present lives.
EMDR Therapy and Somatic Psychology
BY Arielle Schwartz, Barbara Maiberger
This book combines somatic psychology and EMDR therapy, exploring how the body and mind interact in the healing process, particularly for those recovering from trauma.
Tapping In
BY Laurel Parnell
Laurel Parnell introduces readers to using EMDR techniques for personal empowerment, helping them tap into inner resources and strengths to overcome life’s challenges.
The EMDR Revolution
BY Tal Croitoru
A practical guide aimed at clients undergoing EMDR therapy, this book helps them understand the process and how it can change their lives by addressing and reprocessing traumatic memories.
The EMDR Workbook for Trauma and PTSD
BY Megan Salar
This workbook offers practical exercises and activities for individuals using EMDR therapy to work through trauma and PTSD, providing structured support for their healing journey.
The Hero’s Journey: Integrating Jungian Psychology and EMDR Therapy
BY Andrew J. Dobo
Dobo offers an insightful therapeutic guide blending Jungian archetypes and the stages of Joseph Campbell’s hero’s journey with EMDR therapy, empowering therapists and clients alike to navigate trauma healing as a transformative inner odyssey.
A Therapist’s Guide to EMDR
BY Laurel Parnell
Parnell offers a practical, clinician‑focused handbook for implementing EMDR, guiding therapists through case formulation, resource preparation, target development, and handling processing blocks using real-world examples.
Books About PTSD
Coping with Trauma-Related Dissociation
BY Suzette Boon, Kathy Steele, Onno van der Hart Ph.D.
This book provides guidance for trauma survivors dealing with dissociation. It offers practical strategies for managing symptoms and improving quality of life, making it a valuable resource for both survivors and therapists.
The Body Keeps the Score
BY Bessel van der Kolk
A comprehensive overview of how trauma affects the body and mind, this book explores the neurobiological and psychological impacts of trauma and offers various therapeutic approaches for healing.
The PTSD Sourcebook
BY Glenn R. Schiraldi
This comprehensive guide covers everything from the symptoms and diagnosis of PTSD to a variety of treatment options and self-help strategies. It is a valuable resource for those living with PTSD and their loved ones.
Waking the Tiger
BY Peter Levine
Peter Levine explains the concept of trauma from a somatic perspective, emphasizing the role of the body in healing. This book provides insights into recognizing and resolving trauma through body awareness and physical exercises.
Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers
BY Robert M. Sapolsky
This book explains how chronic stress impacts human health, linking prolonged psychological stress to diseases, and offers insights into managing stress effectively.
Books About Complex PTSD
It’s Not Me, It’s You
BY Anabel González
This book provides insights into the dynamics of trauma and therapy, helping readers understand and navigate their own experiences and relationships.
The Fragmented Selves of Trauma Survivors
BY Janina Fisher
This book explores how trauma impacts identity and the self, offering therapeutic approaches to integrate fragmented aspects of the personality.
What HAPPENED to You?
BY Dr. Bruce Perry, Oprah Winfrey
Explores how early life experiences shape our brains and behaviors, shifting the focus from “What’s wrong with you?” to “What happened to you?” in understanding trauma and healing.
The Tao Of Fully Feeling
BY Pete Walker
The book encourages embracing and processing emotions as a pathway to healing, with a focus on compassion and mindfulness.
CPTSD: From Surviving to Thriving
BY Pete Walker
This guide offers comprehensive insights and strategies for individuals recovering from complex PTSD. It covers emotional flashbacks, self-care, and the healing journey, providing practical advice and tools for overcoming the challenges of CPTSD.
Books About Mindfulness & Spirituality
MAn’s Search for Meaning
BY Viktor Frankl
A profound exploration of survival and resilience, Frankl reflects on his experiences in Nazi concentration camps and his psychological insights into finding purpose, even in the face of extreme suffering.
Tarot for Change
BY Jessica Dore
This book blends tarot with mindfulness and self-reflection, offering a practical guide to using tarot for healing and personal growth. It helps readers connect with their intuition and navigate life’s challenges through the transformative power of tarot.xtreme suffering.
The Comfort Book
BY Matt Haig
A collection of reflections and affirmations offering solace and wisdom for navigating life’s struggles, reminding readers of the small things that bring comfort and peace.
Mindfulness for Prolonged Grief
BY Sameet Kumar
This book offers healing strategies after loss using mindfulness techniques, helping individuals cope with prolonged grief.
Letters to a young poet
BY Rainer Maria Rilke
A timeless set of letters filled with poetic advice and introspection, where Rilke shares thoughts on creativity, solitude, and personal growth.
The Power of Now
BY Eckhart Tolle
This introduction to mindfulness and spirituality emphasizes the importance of living in the present moment for personal transformation.
The Untethered Soul
BY Michael Singer
The book guides readers towards spiritual enlightenment and inner peace, exploring concepts of consciousness and personal freedom.
The Wisdom Of Your Body
BY Hilary McBride
This book explores the body’s role in healing, helping readers understand how to connect with and trust their body’s wisdom.
Memoirs
Finding Me
BY Viola Davis
A powerful memoir about Viola Davis’s journey from poverty and abuse to becoming an award-winning actress, highlighting resilience, self-discovery, and the power of storytelling.
Paris: The Memoir
BY Paris Hilton
A candid reflection on Hilton’s life beyond the spotlight, revealing her struggles with trauma, identity, and reclaiming her own narrative.
Between Two Kingdoms
BY Suleika Jaouad
This memoir recounts a young woman’s journey with cancer and her efforts to heal and find a new normal in life.
I’m Not as Well as I Thought I Was
BY Ruby Max
The book offers a personal exploration of the author’s struggles with mental health and their impact on daily life.
I’m Glad My Mom Died
BY Jennette McCurdy
A raw and darkly humorous memoir detailing McCurdy’s struggles with childhood stardom, an overbearing mother, disordered eating, and the path to reclaiming her identity and independence.
Know My Name
BY Chanel Miller
In this memoir, a sexual assault survivor bravely reclaims her identity and shares her story of recovery and empowerment.
Wild
BY Cheryl Strayed
raw and introspective memoir chronicling Strayed’s solo hike along the Pacific Crest Trail as she processes grief, trauma, and self-reinvention.
My Stroke of Insight
BY Jill Bolte Taylor
This book provides insight into the brain’s resilience and mindfulness, based on the author’s experience of recovering from a stroke.
Over The Top
BY Jonathan Van Ness
The book explores Jonathan Van Ness’s journey through trauma, addiction, and therapy, including his use of Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy.
Prozac Nation
BY Elizabeth Wurtzel
This memoir delves into the author’s experiences with depression and the profound impact it had on her life.
Books About Internal Family Systems (IFS) & Attachment Healing
Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents
BY Lindsay C. Gibson
This book helps readers recognize and heal from the effects of having emotionally immature parents.
Homecoming
BY John Bradshaw
“Homecoming” guides readers in reclaiming and healing their inner child.
No Bad Parts
BY Richard C. Schwartz
This book explores the Internal Family Systems (IFS) approach to understanding and healing different parts of the self.
Running On Empty
BY Jonice Webb, Christine Musello
“Running on Empty” helps readers understand and heal from the impact of emotional neglect.
Self-Therapy Workbook: An Exercise Book For The IFS Process
BY Jay Earley
This workbook provides exercises and tools for practicing the Internal Family Systems (IFS) process.
The Emotionally Absent Mother
BY Jasmin Lee Cori
This book helps readers understand and heal from the effects of having an emotionally absent mother.
Attachment in Psychotherapy
BY David J. Wallin
Wallin presents a clinically grounded guide to using attachment theory in psychotherapy, showing how therapists can foster secure connections that support healing and lasting change.
Misc
How to Keep House While Drowning
BY K.C. Davis
Davis offers a compassionate, shame-free approach to maintaining a home, especially for those struggling with mental health challenges or executive dysfunction.
Late Bloomers
BY Rich Karlgaard
An inspiring exploration of people who find their passions and purpose later in life, celebrating resilience, self-discovery, and the idea that it’s never too late to thrive.
Project Paper Birds 