Have you used these books? - "the courage to heal workbook" and "the ptsd workbook"

[T2L]

Good evening! I've been having a really rough time lately. I keep telling myself that ultimately this means progress, but it's still extremely difficult, to say the least.

I was wondering if anyone has used The Courage to Heal Workbook and/or The PTSD Workbook? If so, did you find them beneficial to help you process and work things out in black and white vs stuck in your head?

 

[Rumors]

I read the courage to heal book a couple times. I found the exercises at the end of the chapters to be helpful. I hope you are doing these in conjunction with a therapist? Hang in there!!

 

[T2L]

I read the courage to heal book a couple times. I found the exercises at the end of the chapters to be h...

I'm glad you've found them helpful :) I haven't lived in yet and just scanned through the type of questions but wasn't in a place to fully sit, think, feel, and therefore do the exercises yet. The book was recommended by my T. I also have one about learning to love yourself, but that is much smaller, based more on addiction, and much doesn't relate to me. Many of the topics seem to be built into the other two books. I'm going to only fill out the exercises when I feel safe. My big roadblock is in so disconnected to emotions that I could go through it all right now and fill it in completely disconnected from the emotions... But that's the entire point of these books... To learn to feel, process, and moving through it.

 

[Rumors]

@T2L
Yes, same for me. I am somewhat disconnected from my feelings unless it has to do with my son. Before I did emdr I felt panic when I had thoughts about what happened but now that has dissipated and I don't have that anxiety that goes along with the story any longer.
My take away from the courage to heal was that I am not alone. It normalized some of the things that were going through my head but it didn't do much for getting me in touch with my feelings however that doesn't mean that it won't work for you or many others. Best wishes.

 

[whiteraven]

I did about half of the PTSD workbook, but I have a problem completing anything, so finally just stopped. Also, I have complex PTSD, so there were parts of the workbook I really struggled with and which contributed to my believing my traumas weren't "bad enough."

 

[T2L]

I did about half of the PTSD workbook, but I have a problem completing anything, so finally just sto...

Thank you for sharing your experience. I have complex PTSD as well, but I figured it could help me understand some of my reactions to things. My therapist said we can work through them together. I have a huge issue remembering to do my therapy homework or finishing things too (or it's my way to avoid it).

 

[hithere]

I did the courage to heal and I did not find it helpful at all. I found it to be damaging to me and not helpful. I had to recover from that book and work book. once I put that book in the trash I started my real recovery