Self-help Book for Trauma Therapy
Self-help Book for Trauma Therapy
This this blog entry is coming in the format of a book review. The title of the book being discussed is, “Getting Past Your Past: Take Control of Your Life with Self-Help Techniques from EMDR Therapy” by Francine Shapiro. I was introduced to this book during the early stages of learning EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing) therapy and find this book to be a good resource for those interested in learning about EMDR therapy or for folks interested in a book providing some helpful skills and strategies as you journey through trauma healing.
The author of this book, Francine Shapiro, started EMDR therapy in the 1980s after discovering that eye movements had a connection with reducing the distress associated with upsetting memories. Throughout the years EMDR therapy has been heavily researched and proven to be effective in healing trauma. With continued research, EMDR was shown to also be helpful for anxiety, depression, and addictions, among other presenting concerns that bring folks to therapy.
In brief, traumatic experiences leads to the body’s stress response, which is the fight, flight, freeze response. When the brain is unable to process this experience, the event continues to be distressing for folks, and when the memory is triggered, a person can feel as though they are either stuck in that moment of time of the experience or that they’re reliving that experience. EMDR works to desensitize and reprocess the experience or memory. EMDR doesn’t erase the memory but works to alleviate the destress and allow the brain to naturally process the memory.
With this book suggestion, I find that this book helps the reader learn about how the different experiences we go through in life, especially during younger years, can shape how we see and experience the world and everyday life. There is also a chapter on helping the reader understand the connection between how our relationships with caregivers or parents can shape how we relate to the world in areas of work, social like, or parenting, during adulthood.
Along with providing this insight to the reader, this book also provides some strategies or skills the reader can practice or practice with the support of a therapist. One strategy is body changes, which is changing your posture or facial expression to create a more positive emotional state. The book also shares different techniques such as safe/calm place and light stream. These different techniques help readers create an emotional shift when experiencing distress.
For those interested in learning more about EMDR therapy or is curious about seeking an EMDR therapist, this book can be a useful resource. This book can also be used with an EMDR therapist as you and a therapist work towards healing. This book is available at the Regina Public Library and is also available there in audiobook format.
References:
“About EMDR Therapy” found at https://www.emdria.org/about-emdr-therapy/
“Getting Past Your Past: Take Control of Your Life with Self-Help Techniques from EMDR Therapy” by Francine Shapiro
Written by: Gary Mah, Social Worker with Wildflowers
