PTSD/PTSR Resources

The resources below are ones that I have used or that have been recommended to me by professionals I trust. I can only speak for my own experience and can't guarantee what yours will be, but I hope that you will find something here that helps you with the recovery you seek.

If you have any suggestions for additional resources, please submit them in the comments and include a bit about your experience with them. I'd love to include them here.

Books

Waking the Tiger by Peter Levine

This is the book that started it all for me. Peter Levine explores the causes and effects of trauma, and shows us the path to recovery. I took one look at the table of contents, and suddenly the last 20 years of my life made sense. This book is essential for anyone struggling with PTSD/PTSR.
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Crash Course: A Self-Healing Guide to Auto Accident Trauma and Recovery by Diane Poole Heller, PhD

While the focus is specifically on car accident-related trauma, this book is an expansion of  Peter Levine's work and can be used by people suffering from trauma of any kind. This book has changed my life. Another must-read for anyone who has experienced trauma.


Therapy


Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. This is the therapy that helped me to discover what was happening to me and why. I had no idea that PTSR was at the root of so many of the symptoms I'd been suffering for 20 years. EMDR was the tool that helped me make the connections and begin my recovery.


This therapy method was developed by Peter Levine to implement his research on trauma and its effects on the mind and body. My therapist is not a practitioner, but is familiar with the theories and incorporates them into our work. It has been enormously helpful.


As the website says, "Rosen Method bodywork is a powerful took for stress reduction and for reaching the body/mind connection through touch." I started this treatment on the recommendation of two friends, both of whom are MFTs who work with trauma sufferers and  who used the Rosen Method as part of their own trauma recovery.

I am not yet sure of its impact on me, but I can say that it is definitely helping me to build better awareness of the way I hold stress in my body, which seems to trigger important connections in my mind. It's subtle, but it is helping. Little by little.

Active Release Technique

Officially, "a state-of-the-art soft tissue system/ movement-based massage technique that treats problems with muscles, tendons, ligaments, fascia, and nerves." 

In my experience, a combination of deep-tissue massage, chiropractic, trigger point and physical therapies that feels AWESOME. I honestly don't know why anyone would seek any of those components on their own when you could have this outstanding combination in one technique. Good stuff, people.

Other Cool Stuff

SuperBetter

You are a superhero! Start your own SuperBetter quest to work toward your goal. An excellent, innovative recovery tool for anyone with a desire to get better (or thinner, or stronger, or more organized, or anything else you want to achieve)!

1 comment:

  1. Great resources, Kate! I am a huge EMDR and Peter Levine fan! :-)

    ReplyDelete