Book Recommendation: The Courage To Heal

[lostforgottensoul]

Do you remember which version you read? I notice the section on recovered memories is one they have changed with every edition I've read.

The annerversy revised one in 2008.

The recovered memories thing doesnt bother me as much as no mention of EMDR, CBT, DBT, and other good and proven therapies as well as BPD and other cormobilty possiblities and therapies there. It was, thank god, during therapy and so my therapist advised me to not go off of it as its missing a lot and the concept isnt the best.

I mean im glad some find it helpful, Im not meaning to put it down but I want to advise that a ton of proven therapies are missing and not trust the recovered memories thing so much.

I just feel like that stayed in 1988, no real additions to this revised on proven psychological theories found since the 80s and 90s. So much has been done there and they never included it.

 

[anonymous]

One thing that I thought was that someone is making a lot of money out of these books, even the accompanying workbook was dire, very unhelpful and just a waste of money. Making money from other people misery.

 

[sun seeker]

I found the book a good first step, an eye-opener to what childhood sexual abuse is, the diversity and yet similarity of the experiences, and how it affects the adults we become. Validation, in other words.

But even in the later editions, the information on what to do about it now we know, is much less well done. And, knowing what I know now, there should be a much greater emphasis on how trauma of any kind has a long-term effect.

 

[NatBird]

@ lostforgottensoul

'...the author is a poet.'

Lol, what's wrong with that?

 

[NatBird]

'I found the book a good first step, an eye-opener to what childhood sexual abuse is, the diversity and yet similarity of the experiences, and how it affects the adults we become. Validation, in other words.'

@ sun
Couldn't agree more.

 

[NatBird]

@ sunseeker *the above*

 

[lostforgottensoul]

'...the author is a poet.'

Lol, what's wrong with that?

Nothing if it werent missing most proven therapies learned from 1988 to 2008, other disorders and the likelyhood of cormobility the most common BPD and how to handle that, and gives you an unproven "recovered memories" concept that has been later disproven though never fully taken out of the "revised verison" along with the "revision" not including anything new along with EMDR, CBT, DBT, Brainspotting, and other therapies proven to work.

Other then all of that, I have nothing against a poet writing a psychological book.

But even in the later editions, the information on what to do about it now we know, is much less well done.

Really? I have to disagree with that. If they updated it with the above information then Id agree. They dont, stayed in the 80s and early 90s it seems and therefore I didnt like it. But am glad it is of help to you! Regardless of how I feel about it, that's always good!

 

[sun seeker]

If they updated it with the above information then Id agree.

Aren't we agreeing on the point that even later editions are less informative about treatment options than about the effects of the abuse? I don't see anything in what you say that I'm disagreeing with. I think. I didn't sleep very well last night, so I could be missing something!

 

[Sideways]

I'd note that in the preface to the 2008 version, they do state that they have deliberately avoided academic and psychological language.

Having said that, there are very clearly a lot of strategies borrowed from both DBT and CBT throughout the book. And there is a whole chapter on the way that trauma impacts the brain, which goes into some of the more recent advances in knowledge about traumatic amnesia and the way 'the body remembers'. It is written in plain English rather than psycho-speak, but the theories, so far as they relate to the purpose of the book, are IMO well-covered. The lengthy footnotes do refer you to more academic texts on the subjects from quite a few of the most renowned pioneers on the different subjects.

So while they don't use the language of DBT or neuro-this and that, the information is still there. I thought the current theories and treatment approaches were actually covered pretty well, they just haven't used the psycho-speak that many of us get used to.

 

[theshadowoftheliving]

This is all really interesting to listen to. I've avoided this book to date, for a lot of the reasons others have cited. Yet, I'm interested, for sure. Maybe I need to read it, in order to have an opinion one way or the other.

 

[Heather]

I hate that book too.

 

[katz]

I read it, long, long ago. It was ok. But, I got more use out of "Reach for the Rainbow" by Lynne Finney. I have gone back to this one many times.