Trauma seems to be a buzzword in society today. You may’ve heard people talk about trauma in passing through conversation, like, “I was so traumatized by that movie” or “Don’t traumatize them!” without really understanding what trauma is. This practice is really minimizing to people who have experienced trauma or its effects.
If you are wondering about how to understand trauma, how it affects you or your body, or even how it affects your family, here are some great books to read.
As a licensed marriage and family therapist (LMFT) who specializes in working with trauma, here are 5 best books for understanding trauma. These books have been written by individuals with advanced degrees, and some with research backgrounds. As a LMFT with a doctorate and understanding of research findings, I have found great value in these books and regularly include their approaches and information in my clinical work. I also regularly recommend these books to colleagues and the clients I work with. While I love sharing these books, I do not make any commission from sharing them, whether in-person or online. My recommendations are shared below, with no emphasis on their order.
1. What Happened to You? Conversations on Trauma, Resilience, and Healing
This book not only explores the basics of trauma, but also offers readers self-compassion for their past. Written by physician Dr. Bruce Perry and celebrity Oprah Winfrey, it offers a unique dialogue about trauma.
Ideal if: You appreciate a more conversational approach to reading and just learning about what trauma is. Learn more here
2. It Didn’t Start with You: How Inherited Family Trauma Shapes Who We Are and How to End the Cycle
Written by an expert on intergenerational family trauma, Mark Wolynn explores a unique aspect of trauma—how trauma is passed on from parent to child and how to address it.
Ideal if: You wonder about where your triggers came from or want to break the cycle of trauma.
Learn more here
3. In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts
This is the best book I have ever read outlining addiction and its causes — childhood trauma. This book also offers a compassionate way to view people who experience addiction as well as strategies for intervention at the end of the book.
Ideal if: You want to learn more about addiction, its causes, and how childhood trauma makes a difference.
Learn more here
4. The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma
Backed by van der Kolk’s research findings, this book demonstrates ways that the body remembers what happens to it. van der Kolk also provides recommendations for treating trauma.
Ideal if: You are interested in understanding how trauma affects your body and mind and are interested in research-based interventions.
Warning: There are graphic examples about trauma of past patients he has worked with.
Learn more here
5. When the Body Says No: Exploring the Stress-Disease Connection
Written by researcher and physician, Dr. Gabor Maté, this book explores the long-term impacts of mental stress on both emotions and the body.
Ideal if: You are curious about the harmful effects of too much stress.
Learn more here
Online EMDR Therapist for trauma in Texas
You’ve read the books and now have increased awareness about your or others’ trauma. While the books may have offered different perspectives or action plans on how to address trauma, you’re not finding it to be helpful to you. You’re not alone — this happens.
Unlike educational books, however, you don’t get personalized support or understanding as you would from seeing a licensed and expert therapist. I am a licensed marriage and family therapist who specializes in anxiety, as well as trauma, and couples issues. I work with adults who are stuck in anxiety, professionals who are seeking relief from their demands, and adults who have had traumatic childhoods or recent events. I offer online therapy to residents in Texas. Come and explore my website to get to know me better; learn more about trauma in my five-part series. Schedule a consultation—let’s talk about the challenges you experience and how I can help.
