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.

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 it was too late. But as a therapist and trauma survivor herself, there are three basic principles that Schmelzer wants every trauma survivor to know: Healing is possible. It requires courage. And it cannot be done alone. Traumas that happen more than once - domestic violence, child abuse, sexual abuse, 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 is written specifically for survivors - to help them understand the terrain of the healing process, see where the hard parts show up and persevere in the process of getting well. Schmelzer shares the five phases that every survivor must go through and explains that the path to healing is not linear - it is circular. Circling back around to a previous stage does not mean defeat - it actually means progress. 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.

For survivors rather than professionals from a therapist who is also a trauma survivor"

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.

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.

Telling Secrets presents the art and dreams of Jane Orleman, a victim of childhood sexual abuse, as a means to identify and examine symbols of her abuse and to establish a method for aiding the healing process of other victims. The powerful color illustrations -- 103 in all -- combined with dream descriptions and insights in the accompanying text, are an effective starting point for caregivers who want to understand the overwhelming effects of childhood abuse. Survivors, therapists, therapy groups, judges, lawyers, law enforcement officers, sex offenders, teachers, and students, among others, will benefit from Jane Orleman's shared experiences.

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.

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.

"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.

"From Trauma to Poem" is a compilation of poems written during a time of healing from childhood and adult abusive situations, as well as background information to give the reader a better understanding from whence the poems were written. I survived physical, mental, emotional, sexual (including being sex trafficked), spiritual and cult abuse as a child, and mental, emotional, sexual, spiritual and cult abuse as an adult. God saw to it that I survived and when it was right for me to do so, to write about the affects the trauma had on my life. It is my hope that this book helps other survivors as they read and hopefully journey their own path into healing. Some of these poems are of deep and dreadful times in my healing journey and others show the spiritual awakening that was going on within my soul. While others are glimpses into my inner being, seeing for myself what I had endured. Still others are reflections as a result the trauma had on my consciousness. This journey began with a questioning of my spiritual beliefs and trying to find myself at the age of forty-nine. In the midst of this spiritual query my life was turned upside down as my friend, Ida, aided in my seeing the abuse that was happening at that time in my life. While trying to understand and heal from that, I began having nightmares about that situation, but also about things I could not understand. Had my husband, Jim not been so supportive and understanding I don't think I would have made it through learning about them and consequences the traumas had on me as my life spun seemingly out of control. These poems are expressions of the anguish and freedoms I faced as I walked out the lies I had lived, as well as the truths I was having to face. I still struggle with my relationship with God, the truths of my past and things that trigger me now, taking me back to the traumas of yesteryear. There are several poems that could have gone into categories other than where I placed them, however I felt from the context of the poem that it was best suited where I put them. My hope is that as a reader, if you ever experienced violence as a child or adult, that my poems will help you to first, see you are not alone; and second that your experiences were/are real. Many are taught to deny the abuse or pretend that all is well in order to make the abuser look like a good person, or to protect the victim from further violence. I know that was the case for me and offer to you my expressions of sympathy, with insight as to your circumstances. Your story is your own, as is mine. Regardless of spiritual beliefs or convictions, my prayer is that God works to heal you as He has for me.