I ordered Restoring Hope and Trust after an advocate asked
me if I had heard of it and wanted to know what I thought. I am very grateful that she did. I am often asked if I know of a good book about
trauma that would be helpful to survivors.
This may be the one. Other books
are either too technical or clinical.
Restoring Hope and Trust is only 130 pages but is still full of
information about the impact of trauma and how to manage its effects.
Each chapter beings with a mindfulness exercise and then
moves into discussions about the many ways trauma impacts a survivor’s life
including the physiological and emotional.
The authors pull the best information from many experts in the trauma
field including Judith Herman. The
explanations include illustrations and examples of people’s experiences. At the end of each chapter are self-study
questions for journaling.
What I found the most helpful was how empowering and
supportive the authors are in their descriptions of the cycles of behaviors and
emotions that survivors often find themselves involved. The book also includes chapters on compassion
fatigue and the treatment of trauma.
Restoring Hope and Trust is published by the Sidran
Institute, an advocacy and education program specifically for survivors of
trauma and people who work with them.
The book can be found here
