5 people recommendedYesterday's Warrior in addition to The Courage to Heal - Third Edition - Revised and Expanded : A Guide for Women Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse
From The WomanSource Catalog & Review: Tools for Connecting the Community for Women; review by Patricia Pettijohn The classic and definitive self-help guide for women survivors of sexual abuse, The Courage To Heal is a tool for recovery that works. This is also the book often cited by those who challenge the credibility of incest survivors. Some survivors of childhood abuse recover memories of these traumatic early experiences years after the original events, and it is these recovered memories that are said to be false memories, implanted in the allegedly impressionable minds of survivors. I was curious...read more
4 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
Finally, I see my thoughts on paper., December 10, 2001
Reviewer:
A reader
I read this book about 5 years ago. I had many indications and a strong feeling that I may have been sexually abused but no memories. This book was recommended to me when I asked a counselor how I could deal with this issue. When I read the book I felt so relieved. It was like seeing my own thoughts on paper. I underlined the parts that I really related to. This book supported what I was already feeling but it did not put new thoughts into my head. When any severe trauma occurs your mind might protect you by forgetting. But not everyone forgets. I got no specific memories as a result of reading this book. I learned so much by reading this book. It gave me reassurance to seek out the kind of help I needed to work through this issue. It was written so well too - down to earth and understandable. I would definitely recommend this book.
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18 of 28 people found the following review helpful:
Courage to Heal, July 4, 2000
Reviewer:
A reader
I found this book to be extremely helpful and necessary as part of my therapy to recover from my father's incestuous behavior with me. To those who believe that is just a made-up issue, come into my life. There is NOTHING more devastating to be 4 years old, have your father --the man you idolize, put his finger (then force his penis) into your vagina, tell you it won't hurt and this is the way all daddies show how much they love their daughters. This behavior continued (with my mother's knowledge) until I was almost 12 when I finally said NO and told him I would tell his commanding officer if he EVER touched me again. The damage, however, was done the first time he touched my vagina inappropriately.
I am 45 years old and have spent my life covering for him, hiding my feelings and watching myself enter into many, many unsuccessful and unhealthy relationships. I have healed alot along the way through occasional therapy and reading alot, but this book has been the MOST helpful I have EVER read. Now that I am in the most wonderful, warm, loving relationship I have ever enjoyed and want to give myself fully to my fiance' I find that I am having trouble with true intimacy. I can't play act anymore.
This book is reaffirming and has shown me that I am not alone (! ) and that I can recover and establish the kind of life that I have dreamed of my entire life. I feel freer now and more loved and lovable than I ever have. If you are the victim of incest, sexual abuse or if you love someone who is, PLEASE, I IMPLORE YOU, read this book! The life you discover is worth the turmoil you will go through. This book walks you through it and has a plethora of helpful information through information and writing exercises, that you will find beneficial. Good luck with your healing!
Not only is it an excellent guide, but inspirational as well to the community of abuse victims out there. This should be a required read in all schools as well as health facilities.
I also recommend other inspirational reads: Nightmares Echo, Sickened,Beauty For Ashes And Courage To Heal-Workbook
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
The naysayers are either ignorant or abusers themselves, September 3, 2004
The most singly important book that I've found for self-help for adult recovery from childhood abuse. As a male who was sexually abused by older males and adults of both genders, I found this book to be a validation of the intense trauma that one endures during childhood sexual abuse. As for those who discount the miniscule portion of the book that deals with "recovered" memory, so be it, but there are literally millions of adult survivors of sexual abuse (one in three females, one in five males) who have never forgotten their experiences and this book provides some guidance for recovery including resources and directions to pursue that recovery. Those adults who try to relate their never forgotten abusive experiences by family members to other family members, are most often met with ridicule and the 'recovered memory' arguments - even though they never forgot! It has been documented that recovered memory is valid in the vast majority of cases, and it has also been documented from hospital records and adult follow up that a large percentage of abused children do not remember their abuse. The recovered memory controversy relates only to unqualified therapists and psychiatrists who have planted memories either through hypnosis or leading questions and as soon as someone brings up that issue I strongly suspect the originator to be an abuser. It is the abusers fear of being caught that causes them to lambaste recovered memory. The overwhelming majority of this book deals with memories and experiences that were never forgotten and how to deal with them. Though written for females who were sexually abused, I found it very helpful in my own recovery. My own childhood sexual abuse has been the most traumatic of my entire life which includes combat duty with it's associated action, and a distressing air disaster in which life was lost.
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2 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
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