Category: Books

She’s Not the Man I Married: My Life with a Transgender Husband

She's Not the Man I Married: My Life with a Transgender Husband by [Boyd, Helen]

By Helen Boyd  (2007) From Amazon.com: “Helen Boyd’s husband, who had long been open about being a cross-dresser, was considering living as a woman full time. Suddenly, Boyd was confronted with the reality of what it would mean if her husband were actually to become a woman — socially, legally, and medically. Would Boyd love and desire her partner the same way? Boyd’s first book, My Husband Betty, explored the relationships of cross-dressing men and their partners. Now, She’s Not the Man I Married is both a sequel and a more expansive examination of gender in relationships. It’s for couples who are homosexual or heterosexual, and for readers who fall anywhere along the gender continuum. As Boyd struggles to understand the nature of marriage, passion, and love, she shares her confusion and anger, providing a fascinating observation of the ways in which relationships are gendered, and how we cope, or don’t, with the emotional and sexual pressures that gender roles can bring to our marriages and relationships.”

My Husband Betty: Love, Sex, and Life with a Crossdresser

My Husband Betty: Love, Sex, and Life with a Crossdresser by [Boyd, Helen]

By Helen Boyd (2009)

From Amazon.com: “Author Helen Boyd is a happily married woman whose husband enjoys sharing her wardrobe – and she has written the first book on transgendered men to focus on their relationships. Traditionally known as cross-dressers, transvestites, or drag queens, men like Helen’s husband are a diverse lot who don’t always conform to stereotype. Helen addresses every imaginable question concerning the probable and improbable reasons for behavior that still baffle not only “mental health professionals” but the practitioners themselves; the taxonomy of the transgendered and the distinct but overlapping societies of each group; coming out; bisexuality, and homophobia. The book features interviews with some very interesting people: a dominatrix and her crossdressing husband; a crossdressing Reiki master and his son; a woman who after dating one crossdresser wanted to date others and fell in love with a transsexual instead; and a woman whose husband promised her he was only a crossdresser who later realized that he was transsexual. The stories and opinions chosen to represent the spectrum will surely titillate, shock, and disgust some readers; alternatively, Helen’s narrative is a powerful lens with which to examine our own notions of gender and equality.”

Also from Amazon.com: “Helen Boyd is the author of My Husband Betty (Thunder’s Mouth, 2004) and She’s Not the Man I Married (Seal Press, 2007). She lives in Brooklyn with her partner Betty and their three cats. Her blog (en)gender can be found at www.myhusbandbetty.com.”

The Art of Healing from Sexual Trauma: Tending Body and Soul through Creativity, Nature, and Intuition

By Naomi Ardea (2016)

From Amazon.com: “*2017 IPPY Award Winner *Midwest Book Award Finalist Much remains hidden as survivors of sexual trauma do the hard work of healing. Naomi Ardea courageously offers a rare, in-depth view into the inner world of a victim finding her way to regain peace and wholeness. The Art of Healing from Sexual Trauma holds Ardea’s soulful paintings, soothing photographs, and authentic, compassionate words. Within this memoir of healing moments, Ardea weaves insightful reflections on common trauma healing patterns as well as a practical, nurturing self-care guide for other survivors. 

Survivors will find comfort, understanding, and inspiration as they create their own healing path: -Tools for befriending body and soul through creative expression and body-oriented therapies 
-Book layout that is sensitive to survivors with PTSD 
-A view of what triggers, dissociation, and violated boundaries look like within one survivor’s life and body 
-Ideas for bringing simple, low-cost self-care into more moments of the day 
-Ways to cultivate inner awareness and intuition as essential healing allies 
-Open journaling spaces to strengthen the reader’s inner voice 
-Tips for choosing conventional and alternative therapies that are trauma-informed 
-Visual medicine that offers reflections of the pain and hope of a survivor’s journey 
Not just for survivors, The Art of Healing from Sexual Trauma benefits and informs loved ones, therapists, and others.”

It Wasn’t Your Fault: Freeing Yourself from the Shame of Childhood Abuse with the Power of Self-Compassion

It Wasn't Your Fault: Freeing Yourself from the Shame of Childhood Abuse with the Power of Self-Compassion by [Engel, Beverly]

By Beverly Engel, LMFT (2015)

From Amazon.com: “Shame is one of the most destructive of human emotions. If you suffered childhood physical or sexual abuse, you may experience such intense feelings of shame that it almost seems to define you as a person. In order to begin healing, it’s important for you to know that it wasn’t your fault.

In this gentle guide, therapist and childhood abuse expert Beverly Engel presents a mindfulness and compassion-based therapeutic approach to help you overcome the debilitating shame that keeps you tied to the past. By following the step-by-step exercises in this book, you’ll gain a greater understanding of the root cause of your shame. And by cultivating compassion toward yourself, you will begin to heal and move past your painful experiences.

Recent studies show that trauma survivors, particularly those with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) resulting from abuse, can greatly benefit from incorporating elements of self-compassion into their treatment. Furthermore, the practice of self-compassion has been shown to decrease PTSD symptoms, including, self-criticism, thought suppression, and rumination.

This book is based on the author’s powerful and effective Compassion Cure program. With this book, you will develop the skills needed to finally put a stop the crippling self-blame that keeps you from moving on and being happy. You’ll learn to focus on your strengths, your courage, and your extraordinary ability to survive. Most of all, you’ll learn to replace shame with its counter emotion—pride.”

Protecting Children: Bettering the World One Child at a Time

By Judge Michael Bender (Ret.) (2018)

Protecting Children: Bettering the World One Child at a Time by [Bender (Ret.), Judge Michael ]

From Amazon.com: “Judge Michael Ian Bender has devoted his life to protecting children so that they can grow into functional, independent, healthy adults. The trauma that children suffer due to disputes between their parents has long-lasting negative effects. This trauma is heightened at times of divorce and separation.

Judge Bender has documented his experience in minimizing trauma to children who are subject to families that are breaking up, so that parents, lawyers, and judges can better understand how to remove the trauma from the child’s life.

This book “Protecting Children,” provides unique insight into aiding children of divorce, custody, and parentage disputes so that they grow into healthy adults. These children will, in turn, have the ability to have healthy relationships with their spouses and children.”

Fawn’s Touching Tale: A Story for Children Who Have Been Sexually Abused

(Help for Sexually Abused Children)

By Agnes Wohl & Irene Wineman Marcus, Jackie Bluzer (Illustrator) (2018)

ISBN-13: 978-1982996178

From Amazon.com: “Introduction to Parents, School Personnel and Psychotherapists: There are many books aimed at the prevention of sexual abuse; few story books are geared for children that deal with the profound emotional aftermath. This book is unique because it offers the use of engaging animal protagonists, which allows the child to work through painful emotions in a less threatening and more effective manner. Among the most universal issues for the sexually abused child are: the mixed feelings toward the abuser, the dread and wish to be loved, the difficulties of disclosing the abuse, the fear of being blamed and/or of not being believed. The effects frequently culminate in a sense of vulnerability, damaged self-esteem, guilt and faulty defenses against the feelings of being hurt. This can lead to a wide range of self-destructive behavior in childhood and adulthood. This gentle, “child friendly”, animal tale provides children with a story they can listen to again and again. Parents, psychotherapists and school professionals can use this book as a point of entry into complex feelings that the youngster, or any sexually abused person might experience. Our hope is that with the help of this book, the child will begin the process of healing and gradual resumption of his or her healthy psychological development.”

Growing Up with a Schizophrenic Mother

Growing Up With a Schizophrenic Mother 

ISBN-13: 978-0786408207

By Margaret J. Brown, Psychotherapist & Doris Parker Roberts, LCSW. (2000).

From Amazon.com: “An estimated two to three million people in the United States today were raised by a schizophrenic parent. Brown and Roberts offer a unique book based on interviews with over forty adult children of mothers diagnosed as schizophrenic. Such topics as the isolation their family felt, their chaotic home environments, their present relationships with their mothers, and the lost potential of mother and child are covered. Their stories are fascinating and provide important information to both the mental health community and the lay public. The offspring have been described as having higher rates of “increased aggressivity” and “sibling conflict,” but often their circumstances strengthened these children and contributed to artistic and creative talents, resiliency, and high achievements. The authors provide an overview of schizophrenia, behaviors of the affected parent, and the marital relationship of the patient and her non-schizophrenic spouse. As adults, the respondents now share their grievances about the psychological community–what they needed and did not get. Brown and Roberts then present suggestions for treatment of affected children aimed at psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, counselors, and health care providers.”

ISBN-3: 978-0786408207

My Body! What I Say Goes!

My Body! What I Say Goes!: A book to empower and teach children about personal body safety, feelings, safe and unsafe touch, private parts, secrets and surprises, consent, and respectful relationships.

By Jayneen Sanders (Author), Anna Hancock (Illustrator) (2016)

Age Range: 3 – 10 years, Grade Level: Preschool – 4

From Amazon.com: “The crucial skills taught in this book will help children to protect their bodies from inappropriate touch. Children will be empowered to say in a strong and clear voice, “This is my body! What I say goes!” Through age-appropriate illustrations and engaging text this book, written by the author of ‘No Means No!’ and ‘Some Secrets Should Never Be Kept’, will teach children the following crucial and empowering skills in personal body safety: • identifying safe and unsafe feelings • recognizing early warning signs • developing a safety network • using the correct names for private parts • understanding the difference safe and unsafe touch • understanding the difference between secrets and surprises • respecting body boundaries. Approximately 20% of girls, and 8% of boys will experience sexual abuse before their 18th birthday (Pereda, et al, 2009). Parents, caregivers, and educators have a duty of care to protect children by teaching them Body Safety skills. These skills empower children, and go a long way in keeping them safe from abuse – ensuring they grow up as assertive and confident teenagers and adults. Also included in this book are in-depth Discussion Questions to further enhance the learning and to initiate important family conversations around body autonomy.”

Another Chance: Hope and Health for the Alcoholic Family

Another Chance: Hope and Health for the Alcoholic Family, by Sharon Wegscheider-Cruse. (1989)

From Amazon.com: “The second edition of this classic work on recovery for alcohol families updates and expands the original, which won a Marty Mann Award as an outstanding contribution on alcohol communications. The first ten chapters of Another Chance pull the curtain back on the alcoholic family. We meet its cast of characters: the Dependent, the Enabler, the Hero, the Scapegoat, the Lost Child, the Mascot. The author then spells out a treatment plan for halting the downward spiral of alcoholism — a powerful blend of the Twelve Steps pioneered by Alcoholics Anonymous, the Family Reconstruction process developed by Virginia Satir, Wegscheider-Cruse’s innovative and eclectic approach to therapy, and her own recovery from co-dependency. The second edition also addresses adult children of alcoholics, spirituality, and co-dependent therapists.”

A Story for Children Who Have Been Sexually Abused

Look inside this book.
Fawn's Touching Tale: A Story for Children Who Have Been Sexually Abused (Help for Sexually Abused Children Book 1) by [Wohl, Agnes, Wineman Marcus, Irene]

Fawn’s Touching Tale: A Story for Children Who Have Been Sexually Abused (Help for Sexually Abused Children)

By Agnes Wohl, LCSW (Author), Irene Wineman Marcus (Author), Jackie Bluzer (Illustrator)

May 26, 2018

From Amazon.com: Introduction to Parents, School Personnel and Psychotherapists: There are many books aimed at the prevention of sexual abuse; few story books are geared for children that deal with the profound emotional aftermath. This book is unique because it offers the use of engaging animal protagonists, which allows the child to work through painful emotions in a less threatening and more effective manner. Among the most universal issues for the sexually abused child are: the mixed feelings toward the abuser, the dread and wish to be loved, the difficulties of disclosing the abuse, the fear of being blamed and/or of not being believed. The effects frequently culminate in a sense of vulnerability, damaged self-esteem, guilt and faulty defenses against the feelings of being hurt. This can lead to a wide range of self-destructive behavior in childhood and adulthood. This gentle, “child friendly”, animal tale provides children with a story they can listen to again and again. Parents, psychotherapists and school professionals can use this book as a point of entry into complex feelings that the youngster, or any sexually abused person might experience. Our hope is that with the help of this book, the child will begin the process of healing and gradual resumption of his or her healthy psychological development.

Becoming the Narcissist’s Nightmare

Becoming the Narcissist's Nightmare: How to Devalue and Discard the Narcissist While Supplying Yourself by [Arabi, Shahida]

Becoming the Narcissist’s Nightmare: How to Devalue and Discard the Narcissist While Supplying Yourself Kindle Edition

by Shahida Arabi  (2016)

From Amazon.com: “Although clinical research has been conducted on narcissism as a disorder, less is known about its effects on victims who are in toxic relationships with partners with Narcissistic Personality Disorder. Individuals with this disorder engage in chronic devaluation and manipulation of their partners, a psychological and emotional phenomenon known as “narcissistic abuse.” Unfortunately, the full extent of what narcissistic abuse entails is not taught in any psychology class or diagnostic manual. Since pathological narcissists are unlikely to seek treatment for their disorder, it is difficult to pinpoint what exactly makes a narcissistic abuser tick and the manipulative tactics they use, which are likely to differ from those of other types of abusers as they are more covert and underhanded. What is even more baffling is the addiction we form with our narcissistic abusers, created by biochemical bonds and trauma bonds that are also unlike any other relationship we experience.

In this book, survivors will learn:

•The red flags of narcissistic behavior and covert manipulation tactics, including subtle signs many survivors don’t catch in the early stages of dating a narcissist.
•The motives behind narcissistic abuse and techniques to resist a narcissist’s manipulation.
•Why abuse survivors usually stay with a narcissist long after incidents of abuse occur.
•How our own brain chemistry locks us into an addiction with a narcissistic or toxic partner, creating cravings for the constant chaos of the abuse cycle.
•Traditional and alternative methods to begin to detach and heal from the addiction to the narcissist, including eleven important steps all survivors must take on the road to healing.
•Methods to rewrite the narratives that abusers have written for us so we can begin to reconnect with our authentic selves and purpose.
•How to rebuild an even more victorious and empowering life after abuse.

Narcissistic partners employ numerous stealthy tactics to devalue and manipulate their victims behind closed doors. These partners lack empathy and demonstrate an incredible sense of entitlement and sense of superiority which drives their exploitative behavior in interpersonal relationships. Their tactics can include verbal abuse and emotional invalidation, stonewalling, projection, taking control of every aspect of the victim’s life, gaslighting and triangulation. Due to the narcissistic partner’s “false self,” the charismatic mask he or she projects to society, the victim often feels isolated in this type of abuse and is unlikely to have his or her experiences validated by friends, family and society.

Using the latest scientific research as well as thousands of survivor accounts, this book will explore how the emotional manipulation tactics of narcissistic and antisocial partners affect those around them, particularly with regards to its cumulative socioemotional and psychological effects on the victim. It will also address questions such as: What successful techniques, tools and healing modalities (both traditional and alternative) are available to survivors who have been ridiculed, manipulated, verbally abused and subject to psychological warfare? What can survivors do to better engage in self-love and self-care? How can they forge the path to healthier relationships, especially if they’ve been a victim of narcissistic abuse by multiple people or raised by a narcissist? Most importantly, how can they use their experiences of narcissistic abuse to empower themselves towards personal development? What can their interactions with a narcissistic abuser teach them about themselves, their relationship patterns and the wounds that still need to be healed in order to move forward into the happy relationships and victorious lives they do deserve?”