This book discusses many kinds of trauma, but has significant portions dedicated to childhood sexual abuse. While the author's writing style is quite matter-of-fact, she still "feels" sensitive. It is easy to read and understand and is very comprehensive. This is a good resource for understanding post-traumatic stress and its effects.

I read this book fairly early in my recovery, so I found some of the topics a little hard to relate to then, however, I did get a sense of hope from this author; she moves through trauma and its effects to recovery.

Chapters included:

- A Forgotten History
- Terror
- Disconnection
- Captivity
- Child Abuse
- A New Diagnosis
- A Healing Relationship
- Safety
- Remembrance and Mourning
- Reconnection
- Commonality

Some quotes which impacted me:

"The traumatic moment becomes encoded in an abnormal form of memory, which breaks spontaneously into consciouness, both as flashbacks during waking states and as traumatic nightmares during sleep. Small, seemingly insignificant reminders can also evoke these memories, which often return with all the vividness and emotional force of the original event. Thus, even normally safe environments may come to feel dangerous, for the survivor can never be assured that she will not encounter some reminder of the trauma." p37

"In situations of captivity the perpetrator becomes the most powerful person in the life of the victim, and the psychology of the victim is shaped by the actions and beliefs of the perpetrator." p75

"...repeated trauma in childhood forms and deforms the personality. The child trapped in an abusive environment is faced with formidable tasks of adaptation. She must find a way to preserve a sense of trust in people who are untrustworthy, safety in a situation that is unsafe, control in a situation that is terrifyingly unpredictable, power in a situation of helplessness. Unable to care for or protect herself, she must compensate for the failures of adult care and protection with the only means at her disposal, an immature system of psychological defenses." p96

"Survivors of atrocity of every age and every culture come to a point in their testimony where all questions are reduced to one, spoken more in bewilderment than in outrage: Why? The answer is beyond human understanding." p178

"Both patient and therapist must develop tolerance for some degree of uncertainty, even regarding the basic facts of the story." p179

"The physiological processes of arousal and orgasm may be compromised by intrusive traumatic memories; sexual feelings and fantasies may be similarly invaded by reminders of the trauma. Reclaiming one's own capacity for sexual pleasure is a complicated matter; working it out with a partner is more complicated still. Treatment techniques for post-traumatic sexual dysfunction are all predicated upon enhancing the survivor's control over every aspect of her sexual life." p206

"First, the physiological symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder have been brought within manageable limits. Second, the person is able to bear the feelings associated with traumatic memories. Third, the person has authority over her memories; she can elect both to remember the trauma and to put memory aside. Fourth, the memory of the traumatic event is a coherent narrative, linked with feeling. Fifth, the person's damaged self-esteem has been restored. Sixth, the person's important relationships have been reestablished. Seventh and finally, the person has reconstructed a coherent system of meaning and belief that encompasses the story of trauma. p213

Sage

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