Category: Books

Boundaries and Relationships

Boundaries and Relationships: Knowing, Protecting and Enjoying the Self

By Charles L. Whitfield, MD. (1994)

From Amazon.com: “More than personal boundaries, this book is really about relationships–healthy and unhealthy ones. Here bestselling author and psychotherapist Charles Whitfield blends theories and dynamics from several disciplines into practical knowledge and actions that your can use in your relationships right now.

This comprehensive book opens with clear definitions and descriptions of boundaries, a self-assessment survey and a history of our accumulated knowledge. Going deeper, it describes the 10 essential areas of human interaction wherein you can improve your relationships. These include age regression, giving and receiving (projection and projective identification), triangles, core recovery issues, basic dynamics, unfinished business and spirituality. It shows in countless practical ways how knowledge of each of these is most useful in your recovery and everyday life.”

Invisible Girls: The Truth About Sexual Abuse

Invisible Girls: The Truth About Sexual Abuse, by Dr. Patti Feuereisen,‎ Caroline Pincus (Contributor) (2009)

From Amazon.com: The statistics are staggering. One in four girls will experience sexual abuse by the time she is sixteen, and 48 percent of all rapes involve a young woman under the age of eighteen. It’s not surprising then, that in a society where sexual abuse of young women is rampant, many women never share their stories. They remain hidden and invisible.

In her pioneering work with young survivors through the last thirty years, Dr. Patti Feuereisen has helped teen girls and young women to find their voices, begin healing, and become visible.

In this revised second edition, Dr. Patti’s gentle guidance and the girls’ powerful stories continue to create an encouraging message: Remarkable healing is possible if girls learn to share their stories in their teens and early twenties. With a new introduction, new chapters, and updated resources, this new edition of Invisible Girls has even more to offer girls, young women, and those who care about them.

Feeling Loved: The Science of Nurturing Meaningful Connections and Building Lasting Happiness

Feeling Loved: The Science of Nurturing Meaningful Connections and Building Lasting Happiness

By Jeanne Segal, PhD, (2015)

From Amazon.com:  In a world where fear and anxiety block the capacity for love, Feeling Loved can open your heart. Do your connections with friends, family, or romantic partners leave you feeling dissatisfied or disconnected? If you’re receptive to making changes, Emotional Intelligence pioneer, Jeanne Segal, Ph.D., shows you how to get and give loving experiences that are nurturing, fulfilling and lasting. Drawing on the latest discoveries in neuroscience and her 45 years as a therapist, she shows you how the nervous system experiences love and why the more love you feel, the less stress you experience. Feeling Loved also describes the things we do that hijack our ability to feel loved. In a style that is engaging, practical, and filled with illustrative real-life stories, you will learn new ways of thinking, feeling and acting that make you feel more loved.

In Feeling Loved you learn to:

  • Identify and overcome the challenges that keep you from experiencing love
  • Use proven techniques to quickly reduce stress and regulate out-of-control emotions
  • Communicate your needs and resolve disagreements in ways that are less stressful
  • Transform your relationships with everyone in your life

Segal’s engaging and practical approach guides readers in developing new ways of thinking, feeling, and acting, in order to make life-altering changes. Enhanced with inspiring and illustrative real-life stories, Feeling Loved is thoroughly absorbing and exceptionally well written.

Jeanne Segal, Ph.D., is a pioneer in the field of emotional intelligence and the psychology of connection. Her engaging and practical approach guides readers in developing new ways of thinking, feeling, and acting, in order to make life-altering changes. She has written five books, which have been published in 13 languages. Feeling Loved is filled with inspirational, real-life stories and provides a blueprint for getting the love and happiness we need. Dr. Segal is also the co-founder and editorial director of Helpguide.org, a trusted non-profit mental health website serving over 80 million people annually.

Because I Love You: The Silent Shadow of Child Sexual Abuse 

Because I Love You: The Silent Shadow of Child Sexual Abuse 

By Joyce Allan, RN, MA. (2002)

From Amazon.com – The first book which investigates the beliefs and values which underlie SILENCE-KEEPING about child sexual abuse not only by survivors, but also by their friends, family and community. Presented in the form of A COMPELLING MEMOIR, rich in visual warmth, and informed by the expertise of a child activist, it describes how silence creates the “ecology of child sexual abuse.” Ultimately Because I Love You is FOR EVERYONE WHO KNOWS AND CARES ABOUT A VICTIM OR PERPETRATOR, AND EVERYONE WHO IS CONCERNED ABOUT THE EMOTIONAL, PHYSICAL AND SPIRITUAL SAFETY OF OUR CHILDREN. The book shows how the author’s “life was seriously impacted and nearly derailed by incestuous abuse by her father at an early age, (and) documents her personal struggle to find understanding and expertise in helping her overcome her complicated and extensive posttraumatic and dissociative reactions. “With enormous determination, Allan conducts a detailed examination of her father’s life and learns of his extensive pedophiliac history and its possible origins and motivations. And, finally, she EXAMINES THE SILENCE THAT SO OFTEN ACCOMPANIES ABUSE THAT IS PERPETRATED BY A FAMILY MEMBER, friend, or acquaintance, a silence often based on denial and loyalty that has the inadvertent effect of allowing abuse to continue undeterred. “This is a compelling look at the intergenerational dynamics of sexual abuse and its tragic consequences, and the need for improved and more effective intervention. It is also A TESTAMENT TO HUMAN RESILIANCE AND RENEWAL.”

Healing the Trauma of Childhood Sexual Abuse

The Right to Innocence: Healing the Trauma of Childhood Sexual Abuse: A Therapeutic 7-Step Self-Help Program for Men and Women, Including How to Choose a Therapist and Find a Support Group Mass Market

By Beverly Engel, MFCC (Author),‎ Eleanor Hamilton, PhD. (Foreword) (1990).

From Amazon.com – “A practical and powerful must-read book for all who have suffered childhood sexual abuse, their family members and loved ones, and for all mental health professionals.”
Harold H. Bloomfield, M.D.

Author of MAKING PEACE WITH YOUR PARENTS
As a trained therapist and sufferer of sexual abuse herself, Beverly Engel knows that there is probably no trauma a child can suffer that makes her or him feel more alone than sexual abuse. This helpful book offers hope for recovery with exercises, visualizations, and techniques that support you through a seven-step program, that will aid you in: facing the truth, releasing your anger, confronting those responsible with facts and feelings, forgiving yourself, and more healing advice and information.

I Can’t Get Over It: A Handbook for Trauma Survivors 

I Can’t Get Over It: A Handbook for Trauma Survivors 

By Aphrodite T. Matsakis, PhD (1996)

From Amazon.com – In this ground-breaking book, Dr. Matsakis explains that post-traumatic stress disorder affects not just soldiers, but also survivors of many other types of trauma including:

  • crime
  • vehicular accidents
  • rape
  • family violence
  • sexual abuse
  • natural catastrophes

I Can’t Get Over It directly addresses survivors of trauma. It explains the nature of PTSD and describes the healing process. This book will help you:

  • Find out whether you have PTSD
  • Cope with post-traumatic anger, grief, and survivor guilt
  • Recognize related problems such as depression, substance abuse , compulsive behavior and low self-esteem
  • Identify “triggers” that set off flashbacks, anxiety attacks, and other symptoms
  • Relieve wounding caused by others’ blaming and insensitivity
  • Gain a sense of empowerment and hope for the future

The Sexual Abuse Victim’s Guide To Recovery

The Sexual Abuse Victim’s Guide To Recovery: The Journey from Victim to Survivor to Healthy Survivor and Beyond

By Samantha E. Payne Ph. D. (Author),‎ Dan Payne Ph.D. (Contributor). (2011)

From Amazon.com – This book is written for those who were sexually abused and were not able not get help or adequate help. It is also recommended for family members of those who were sexually abused and those professionals who worked with the sexually abused.

One Woman’s Triumph Over The Tragedy of Incest 

Cry the Darkness: One Woman’s Triumph Over The Tragedy of Incest

By Donna L. Friess Ph.D. (2013)

From Amazon.com – This book has become a classic in child abuse prevention counseling. It is the gripping true story of generational sexual abuse and the dramatic legal trial which culminates in a shocking 15 month battle for safety from the predator that has haunted his victims for over 40 years. It is a must-read for abuse survivors and their therapists and counselors.

Why Me? Help for Victims of Child Sexual Abuse

Why Me? Help for Victims of Child Sexual Abuse: (Even if they are adults now) 

By Dr. Lynn Daugherty. (2013)

From Amazon.com – “A good simple, beginning book for child, teen, and adult survivors” – authors Ellen Bass and Laura Davis in The Courage To Heal.

“As well as helping victims, it is also a book for people who want to learn more about child sexual abuse” – Adrian Ford, Senior Social Worker

A Self-Help Classic   ~  Over 60,000 copies sold!

Adults and adolescents who were sexually abused as children find help and healing in this bestseller from a respected Clinical Psychologist. Now in its fourth edition, this warm and personal, beginning guide gives you . . .

– answers to child sexual abuse questions
– stories of male and female victims
– insights into sexual abusers
– explanations of effects on victims
– step-by-step guidance to begin your recovery
– resources for additional assistance

Understand important psychological concepts easily because they are presented in clear, everyday language. Feel understood and valued as you begin healing from the pain of child sexual abuse with this classic bestseller.

> Honored as an Editor’s Choice Selection by Booklist 
> Recommended reading in support groups from New Jersey to Alaska, Scotland to The Netherlands to Fiji

Strong at the Heart: How It Feels to Heal from Sexual Abuse 

Strong at the Heart: How It Feels to Heal from Sexual Abuse 

By Carolyn Lehman (Author),‎ Laura Davis (Foreword). (2014)

From Amazon.com – “This book is an absolute gift to the world.” – Jacqueline Woodson Every year more than half a million young people are sexually abused or assaulted in North America alone. This groundbreaking book brings readers face-to-face with ten adult and teen survivors who speak with candor and courage about the abuse they experienced, how they have healed, and how they are moving forward with their lives. White, black, Latino, and Native American, these everyday heroes come from a wide range of communities and have found different ways to cope with and overcome sexual trauma. Through moving personal stories and striking photographs they take readers into their lives, offering insight and hope for anyone–male or female–affected by this all-too-common childhood experience. In the comprehensive resource section, readers of this softcover edition will find an updated guide to worldwide help organizations, as well as the best books, films, and Web sites on healing and resilience.

A Guide to Recovering from Incest and Sexual Abuse

How Long Does It Hurt?: A Guide to Recovering from Incest and Sexual Abuse for Teenagers, Their Friends, and Their Families 

By Cynthia L. Mather, Judy Wood (Illustrator),‎ Eliana Gil, PhD, RPT-S, ATR (Foreword),‎ Kristina E. Debye, LCSWC, ACSW, DCSW. (Contributor). (2014)

From Amazon.com – How Long Does It Hurt? is the revised and updated edition of the best-selling book written by an incest survivor for future survivors. This step-by-step guide speaks directly to victims of sexual abuse¾to help them come to grips with what is happening to them and overcome their feelings of isolation, confusion, and self-doubt.