It is a simple fact, and a powerful promise: You are not your trauma. Noted psychologists Robyn D. Walser and Darrah Westrup have devoted their careers to helping people move beyond the pain of trauma and reclaim their lives. This compassionate book harnesses the proven tools of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) in an accessible self-help format. Readers learn new ways to build resilience, safely confront feared feelings and sensations, and detach from harmful thoughts and self-beliefs that keep them stuck. ACT highlights the importance of living meaningfully, and provides step-by-step strategies for doing so. Filled with exercises and guided practices, including audio tracks at the companion website, the book uses stories of diverse trauma survivors to illustrate the recovery journey.
Robyn D. Walser, PhD, is a clinical psychologist, educator, and author of several influential books on ACT for professionals and general readers. She is Assistant Clinical Professor at the University of California, Berkeley, and Director of Research at Bay Area Trauma Recovery Clinical Services. She is also on the staff of the National Center for PTSD at the VA Palo Alto Health Care System. Internationally known for her compassionate, client-centered approach, Dr. Walser has been working in the field of trauma treatment since the 1990s. Darrah Westrup, PhD, is a clinical psychologist in private practice in Durango, Colorado, where she specializes in helping clients find freedom from complex trauma and other challenging conditions. She has conducted ACT trainings and workshops worldwide since 2001 and is the author of acclaimed books on ACT for professionals and general readers. Dr. Westrup has served as Director of both the Women's Mental Health Center and the Women's Trauma Recovery Program at the VA Palo Alto Health Care System.
Introduction Stage 1. Safety and Skills Building: Living More Fully in the Here and Now 1. What Is Trauma Fallout? 2. What Is Acceptance and Commitment Therapy? 3. Identifying Your Values 4. Identifying Your Barriers 5. Opening to Emotional Experience 6. Cultivating Mindfulness and Present-Moment Awareness 7. Creating Distance from Traumatic Thoughts 8. Getting to Know Your Self Stage 2. Planned Exposure to the Trauma: Facing Your Trauma to Regain Control of Your Life 9. Preparing for Exposure Work 10. Completing a Written Exposure Stage 3. Reconnection to the Here and Now through Values: Building Resilience, Overcoming Obstacles, and Engaged Living 11. Taking Committed Action 12. Building Resilience 13. Overcoming Life's Obstacles 14. Maintaining Long-Term Healing
"I am moved by this book's bold and compassionate message: 'You are more than your trauma.' This book is an essential companion for anyone ready to turn toward their pain with courage and reclaim a life of meaning and wholeness. It is a gift to the world."--Steven C. Hayes, PhD, author of Get Out of Your Mind and Into Your Life "Amid the many books on trauma available today, this evidence-based guide stands out for its solid scientific foundation and proven approach. The authors' compassionate expertise shines through every page, making healing feel accessible and achievable."--Louise Hayes, PhD, coauthor of What Makes You Stronger "Although I've done well in life, I still experience lingering effects of childhood trauma. The approach in this book has truly helped me to heal. I have learned how to doubt myself less (instead of and let in uncomfortable feelings that I once avoided. I now see myself for who I truly am--and my trauma doesn't define me."--Robyn W.-
