Traumatic Experiences
In the Realm of Wounding & Healing
1: Read books, listen to podcasts, discover tools, and do research on trauma recovery.
1: Read books, listen to podcasts, discover tools, and do research on trauma recovery. Books 📚
- It Didn’t Start With You – by Mark Wolynn: A compelling understanding of inherited trauma and fresh, powerful tools for relieving its suffering.
- The Body Keeps the Score – by Bessel van der Kolk: A real classic – transforms our understanding of traumatic stress, revealing how it literally rearranges the brain’s wiring—specifically areas dedicated to pleasure, engagement, control, and trust. He shows how these areas can be reactivated through innovative treatments including neurofeedback, mindfulness techniques, play, yoga, and other therapies.
- Connecting to Our Ancestral Past : Healing Through Family Constellations, Ceremony, and Ritual – by Francesca Boring: pragmatic, spiritual journey that introduces a variety of specific rituals and conversations in connection with Constellations work, an process that explores one’s history and powerful events of the past in order to understand and resolve problems of the present.
- Healing Trauma through Family Constellations and Somatic Experiencing – by Efu Nyaki: integrating ancestral tribal wisdom with a fusion of two Western healing systems: Somatic Experiencing and Systemic Family Constellations Therapy.
- Complex PTSD – From Surviving to Thriving – by Pete Walker: A GUIDE AND MAP FOR RECOVERING FROM CHILDHOOD TRAUMA
- Complex PTSD – !0 Holistic Steps to Tame Triggers, Outshine Anxiety, Transcend Trauma… – by CW Lockhart: A carefully curated collection of scientific insights, best practices, and shared experiences. Dr. Lockhart radiates empathy and resilience as she illuminates a gentle path for trauma survivors, especially veterans and women.
Podcasts 🎧
- The Trauma Therapist Podcast: lots of great episodes on diverse trauma recovery topics with leaders in the trauma therapy world.
- Trauma Rewired Podcast: Neurology & Somatic Healing. There are so many good episodes here arriving at this topic from so many cool different directions.
- AUDIOBOOK: Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents – by Lindsay Gibson: exposes the destructive nature of parents who are emotionally immature or unavailable. You will see how these parents create a sense of neglect, and discover ways to heal from the pain and confusion caused by your childhood. So good and spot on for this type of childhood trauma.
- Overcoming PTSD Podcast: get powerful conversations, science-backed tools, and real-world strategies for healing trauma, calming your nervous system, and overcoming PTSD symptoms for good.
2: Explore trauma-focused therapies like EMDR, TF-CBT, Somatic Experiencing, Narrative Therapy, IFS, Brainspotting, and others…
Books 📚
- In An Unspoken Voice – by Peter Levine: How the body holds the key to recovering from complex trauma and experiences that overwhelm our nervous systems, from adverse childhood experiences to PTSD
- Falling Awake – by Kathryn Shafer: Guide to integrating EMDR, Brainspotting and Yoga Nidra for Trauma and Self-regulation.
- It Didn’t Start With You – by Mark Wolynn: A compelling understanding of inherited trauma and fresh, powerful tools for relieving its suffering.
- EMDR Workbook for Trauma and PTSD – by Megan Boardman & Arielle Schwartz: A complete program to help you get in touch with, understand, and heal from the beliefs, feelings, and bodily sensations connected to your trauma. You’ll learn to work through past or current trauma using emotion regulation and grounding techniques, and identify the specific triggers, limiting self-beliefs, and symptoms.
- EMDR with Kids – by Jackie Flynn: A Play-Based Tool for Trauma Processing, Nervous System Regulation, and the Transformation of Adaptive Behaviors
- TF-CBT Workbook for Kids & Teens: Your Guide to Free From Frightening, Obsessive or Compulsive Behavior, Help Children Overcome Anxiety and fear…
- Cognitive-Behavioral Therapies for Trauma: Leading scientist-practitioners succinctly review the “whys,” “whats,” and “hows” of their respective approaches. Encompassing individual, group, couple, and parent-child treatments, the volume goes beyond the traditionally identified diagnosis of PTSD to include strategies for addressing comorbid substance abuse, traumatic revictimization, complicated grief, acute stress disorder, and more
- Internal Family Systems (IFS) Books – from IFS Institute: all of the books offered by IFS Institute are highly recommended gateways into various “parts” of Internal Family Systems – start here for sure.
Websites & Courses 📝
- TF-CBT Certification Course: Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy from the National Therapist Certification Program
- Find a TF-CBT Therapist: Directory for US and Canada
- What is Brainspotting? – Brainspotting works with the deep brain and the body through its direct access to the autonomic and limbic systems within the body’s central nervous system. Brainspotting is accordingly a physiological tool/treatment which has profound psychological, emotional, and physical consequences.
- Get Trained in Brainspotting
Podcasts 🎧
- Somatic Healing Meditations Podcast: Every episode contains a guided meditation specifically designed to help you be more present in your body (and your life) by connecting to your physical sensations and awakening your inner knowing in a gentle and healing way.
- Let’s Talk EMDR Podcast: from the EMDR International Association. EMDR Experts and practicioners share their views on a wide variety of healing trauma with Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
- Understanding EMDR Podcast: from Australia, Dr. Tracy Lynch specializes in EMDR intensive, working with First Nations people and working with complex trauma.
- The SpotCast – Brainspotting Podcast: explores the transformative power of Brainspotting in addressing deep-seated trauma.
3: Explore grounding exercises to regulate your nervous system such as breathwork, mindfulness, mutation, sensory exercises and more.
Books 📚
- Essential Pranayama – by Jerry Givens: one of the best classic pranayama books out there. If you follow these practices, utterly life-changing.
- Black People Breathe – by Zee Clarke: Mindfulness and breathwork practices for Black people and all people of color to heal from racism.
- The Little Book of Yoga Breathing – by Scott Shaw: Pranayama made easy. Classic and easy to follow book of pranayama breath meditation practices.
- Breath Practice Cards – by Rebecca Moore: We LOVE this deck of cards. Easy to practice techniques and self-guided meditations, including diaphragmatic breathing / belly breathing.
- Full Catastrophe Living (updated) – by Jon Kabat-Zinn: Landmark work on how to connect your mind and body to reduce stress and lead a more fulfilling, healthy, and complete life. Included detailed instructions on body scanning.
- The Mindful Way Workbook – by John D. Teasdale, J. Mark G. Williams, and Zindel V. Segal: Get the benefits of MBCT (Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy) any time, any place, by working through this carefully constructed book. Introduces specific mindfulness practices to try (with accompanying audio downloads), reflection questions, and tools for keeping track of progress, which you can download and print for repeated use. Pretty cool!
Videos 🎦
- 10-Minute Body Scan Meditation on Youtube: 10-minute calming body scan meditation.
- 30-Minute Body Scan Meditation on YouTube: another, longer calming body scan meditation.
- Chakra Balance Guided Meditation on YouTube: 15-minute quality guided meditation.
- 10-Minute Chakra Meditation (Daily Recharge): instructive and ideal for quickly opening, cleansing and recharging your chakras daily. Really good daily meditation.
- Breath with Sandy – YouTube Channel: just oodles of great videos with diverse breathing practices. Nice music, nice visuals scenes.
Podcasts 🎧
- The Yoga Nidra Podcast: Yoga Nidra means “yogic sleep” and is a state of consciousness between waking and sleeping. A powerfully restorative practice to restore your mind, body, and soul.
- Yoga Nidra and Beyond Podcast: Here, you will discover the REST you deserve and need to RESTORE your nervous system on the road to a better sleep and life.
- Somatic Healing Meditations Podcast: Every episode contains a guided meditation specifically designed to help you be more present in your body (and your life) by connecting to your physical sensations and awakening your inner knowing in a gentle and healing way.
- Tara Brach Meditation Podcast: weekly meditation practices – Spotify link
- 12-Minute Meditation Podcast: Various great teachers guide you in regular 12-minute sessions – Spotify link.
- Mindfulness Meditation Podcast: 2x per week fun new short guided meditations with calming music.
4: Nurture yourself with self-compassion. Trauma healing is a journey and it’s ok to take your time. Treat yourself kindly, use affirmations, prioritize self-care and hone that your feelings are valid.
Books 📚
- Radical Compassion – by Tara Brach: Learning to Love Yourself and Your World with the Practice of RAIN (Recognize, Allow, Investigate, Nurture). Discover sources of love, forgiveness, compassion, and deep wisdom alive within all of us.
- No Bad Parts – by Richard Schwartz: modern classic and basis of the Internal Family Systems method of healing, therapy, self-exploration & self-compassion.
- From Self-Neglect to Compassion – by Hayley Quinn: A roadmap to recognise the habits, unhelpful stories and cyclical beliefs that hold you back and keep you stuck in exhaustion, burnout, guilt and self-criticism, while guiding you to cultivate self-compassion and a new way of relating to yourself.
- Self-Compassion: The Proven Power of Being Kind to Yourself – by Kristin Neff: how to limit self-criticism and offset its negative effects, enabling you to achieve your highest potential and a more contented, fulfilled life through the power of self-compassion.
Websites & Courses 📝
- WISEHEART – Mindful Compassionate Dialogue: We LOVE Wiseheart and all the amazing tools/resources/courses they share and hold. MCD is a powerful practice for showing up, listening, showing true empathy, witnessing and being witnessed.
Podcasts 🎧
- WISEHEART Podcast – Relationships as Spiritual Practice: this podcast is from Wiseheart Mindful Compassionate Dialogue (MCD), which has similarities to NVC but takes a different approach. Very worth diving into this podcast.
- How to Grow Self-Compassion – Podcast Episode of Being Well Podcast with Forrest Hanson & Dr. Rick Hanson: How we can use self-compassion to reduce rumination, feel safe while taking big risks, and improve our relationships with other people.
- How to Develop Fierce Self-Compassion – Podcast Episode of Very Well Mind Podcast with author Kristin Neff: how to know when to practice tender self-compassion and when to practice fierce self-compassion.
5: Healing from trauma is easier with support. Seek out counselors or support groups to help you process your experiences – you don’t have to go through it alone. 🌈
Search in Your Local Area
- Remember – everyone needs help sometimes. If you feel professional therapy or counseling might help to support you moving through and beyond traumatic experiences, then please take some time to seek and reach out to local practitioners near you. Search online using the language “trauma-informed counseling near me” or “trauma-informed support group near me”
- For the United States: use the Psychology Today search engine and filter for trauma & PTSD specialties.
- Trauma Therapist Network: find trauma-informed therapists and resources for therapists in the US and Europe.
Remember – everyone needs help sometimes. If you feel professional therapy or counseling might help to support you moving through and beyond traumatic experiences, then please take some time to seek and reach out to local practitioners near you. Search online using the language “- Seven Realms will keep adding resources for this action step as we come upon them.
Podcasts 🎧
- PUNK Therapy Podcast: Psychedelic Underground Neural Kindness – in some ways this podcast covers the intersection of psychedelic work with trauma care – but also expands to other areas of plant medicine practice and healing.