For survivors of PTSD and repeated, relational trauma -- and the people who love them. Gretchen Schmelzer watched too many people quit during treatment for trauma recovery. They found it too difficult or too frightening or just decided that for them it was too late. But as a therapist and trauma survivor herself, Dr. Schmelzer wants us to know that it is never too late to heal from trauma, whether it is the suffering caused within an abusive relationship or PTSD resulting from combat. Sometimes what feels like a big setback is actually an unexpected difficult step forward. So she wrote Journey Through Trauma specifically for survivors--to help them understand the terrain of the healing process and stay on the path. There are three basic principles that every trauma survivor should know: Healing is possible. It requires courage. And it cannot be done alone. Traumas that happen more than once--child abuse, sexual abuse, domestic violence, gang violence, even war--are all relational traumas. They happened inside a relationship and therefore must be healed inside a relationship, whether that relationship is with a therapist or within a group. Journey Through Trauma gives us a map to help guide us through that healing process, see where the hard parts show up, and persevere in the process of getting well. We learn the five phases that every survivor must negotiate along the way and come to understand that since the cycle of healing is not linear, circling back around to a previous stage does not mean defeat - it actually means progress as well as facing new challenges. Authoritative and accessible, Journey Through Trauma provides support for survivors and their loved ones through one of the most challenging but necessary processes of healing that anyone can face.

Psychotherapist and trauma survivor Jasmin Lee Cori offers new insight into trauma-related difficulties (including PTSD, depression, substance abuse), provides self-care tools, candor about therapy and medications, and addresses spiritual issues. While there are many different approaches to healing trauma, few offer a wide range of perspectives and options. With innovative insight into trauma-related difficulties, Jasmin Lee Cori helps you: Understand trauma and its devastating impacts; Identify symptoms of trauma (dissociation, numbing, etc.) and common mental health problems that stem from trauma; Manage traumatic reactions and memories; Create a more balanced life that supports your recovery; Choose appropriate interventions (therapies, self-help groups, medications and alternatives); Recognize how far you've come in your healing and what you need to keep growing. Complete with exercises, healing stories, points to remember, and resources, this is a perfect companion for anyone seeking to reclaim their life from the devastating impacts of trauma.

Mother's Day 2015, began with anticipation as the Hebenstreits drove to northeast Georgia to spend the day hiking on Mount Yonah. It was a pleasant day, full of laughter and togetherness as the family of five leisurely made their way up the mountain. Little did they know that near the top, unparalleled tragedy would forever alter the course of their lives. This is the true story of one family's journey through unimaginable trauma and grief and the obstacles they must overcome as they gradually find their way towards hope and healing. Kim Hebenstreit is the author of Finding Intimacy in Marriage: A Spiritual, Emotional and Physical Journey, which was published a mere eight months before the events chronicled in this book. She lives in the Atlanta area and is working towards her M.A. in professional counseling and facilitates a grief ministry in order to help others as they travel their own journey through trauma and grief.

At the age of 17, Morningstar's daughter, Misti, was broadsided by an 18 wheeler. As Misti lay in deep coma, they were given little hope that their daughter would even survive. When she awoke, they slowly realized the extent of her brain damage.

"How could something that happened so long ago affect me today?" I asked my therapist right after she told me I was suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). How could an assault at six years old be the defining factor in my adult existence? And with those questions, my life's trajectory changed. I began to search for answers. This is the story of that journey. A journey that took me deep into past traumas to face memories I'd tried to bury my whole life. A journey that revealed how my trauma was not mine alone but was connected to my parents' and grandparents' traumas. A journey that showed me how this transgenerational trauma had controlled my thoughts, my choices, and my life. And how it now infected my children's lives as well. This is a story of how I finally broke the cycle of transgenerational trauma and found healing-not only for me but for my children. And now, I share that healing with you. I invite you to travel along with me, practice the exercises at the end of each chapter, and begin your own healing journey from surviving to thriving.

For survivors of PTSD and repeated, relational trauma -- and the people who love them. Gretchen Schmelzer watched too many people quit during treatment for trauma recovery. They found it too difficult or too frightening or just decided that for them it was too late. But as a therapist and trauma survivor herself, Dr. Schmelzer wants us to know that it is never too late to heal from trauma, whether it is the suffering caused within an abusive relationship or PTSD resulting from combat. Sometimes what feels like a big setback is actually an unexpected difficult step forward. So she wrote Journey Through Trauma specifically for survivors--to help them understand the terrain of the healing process and stay on the path. There are three basic principles that every trauma survivor should know: Healing is possible. It requires courage. And it cannot be done alone. Traumas that happen more than once--child abuse, sexual abuse, domestic violence, gang violence, even war--are all relational traumas. They happened inside a relationship and therefore must be healed inside a relationship, whether that relationship is with a therapist or within a group. Journey Through Trauma gives us a map to help guide us through that healing process, see where the hard parts show up, and persevere in the process of getting well. We learn the five phases that every survivor must negotiate along the way and come to understand that since the cycle of healing is not linear, circling back around to a previous stage does not mean defeat - it actually means progress as well as facing new challenges. Authoritative and accessible, Journey Through Trauma provides support for survivors and their loved ones through one of the most challenging but necessary processes of healing that anyone can face.

A Clinician's Journey from Complex Trauma to Thriving is an anthology of articles by Rev. Sheri Heller, LCSW. Written for survivors and clinicians this collection was inspired by Rev. Heller's unrelenting struggle with recovering from complex ptsd rooted in systemic and generational child abuse, and her commitment to devoting her life to helping others similarly afflicted. Spanning the trajectory from abuse, complex trauma, addictions, the relational quest, recovery and treatment, and ultimately thriving creatively and spiritually, this assortment of writings offers a comprehensive assessment of the healing process and the triumph of reclamation.