Therapist’s Top Trauma Book Recommendations
Therapy is a big investment of time, energy, and financial resources. And while I whole heartedly believe that therapy can be a profoundly healing experience that equips people with tools to live healthier, more fulfilling lives, it really is what you put into it. Merely attending a 50 minute session each week isn’t going to magically change your life. The winning combination is a willingness to show up and do the work in session, and implement those changes throughout your week.
One of my favorite recommendations for my counseling clients is to supplement our work with some intentional reading. By adding some adjunctive therapeutic reading (psychobabble term: bibliotherapy) on certain topics you want to change, then working to make those incremental changes can really help your healing process.
My clients often laugh when I say (regularly) “Okay I have a book I want you to check out”. I make lots of book recommendations, and often. Seriously, this blog was originally 4 pages! I had to break it up by topic.
So here are my most recommended therapy books about healing trauma:
A Therapist’s Top Recommended Trauma Books:
The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel Van Der Kolk
Great overview about how trauma is stored in our bodies and the best methods for healing trauma from research. I use both EMDR and IFS work in my practice and have found them to be very effective in moving through trauma.
The author of Internal Family System (often referred to as parts work” or “inner child work” or IFS) wrote a user friendly manual for lay people. IFS has been very healing for me personally, and I am constantly amazed at its effects for my clients. It’s gentle, effective, and promotes lots of self-compassion and and understanding about some of our tricky, stuck behavior patterns and responses.
What My Bones Know: A Memoir of Healing from Complex Trauma by Stephanie Foo
A beautiful and raw account of childhood trauma and living with complex PTSD (C-PTSD). The author outlines her struggles in relationships, her difficulty with the diagnosis, and her courageous healing journey. For all who have long-lived with the effects of trauma, this is an inspiring read.
If you want to know more about working together and starting therapy, reach out today to schedule a free 15 minute consultation call for therapy in Dublin, CA. Also serving the greater east Bay Area and online counseling throughout CA.