Recommended Reading
A curated collection of trauma-informed books to support your healing journey. These selections reflect the mind–body connection, nervous system healing, attachment repair, and integrative trauma work.
Trauma & The Nervous System
The Body Keeps the Score — Bessel van der Kolk, MD
A foundational book on how trauma lives in the body and why body-based healing matters.
Why I recommend it: Clear, validating, and empowering for clients beginning trauma work.
Waking the Tiger — Peter A. Levine, PhD
A gentle introduction to Somatic Experiencing and incomplete survival responses.
Why I recommend it: Helps clients understand SE without overwhelm.
Anchored — Deb Dana
A compassionate guide to polyvagal theory and autonomic states.
Why I recommend it: Perfect for clients learning regulation skills.
Trauma and Recovery — Judith Herman, MD
A foundational book on trauma frameworks and healing stages.
Why I recommend it: Validates survivors while offering structure, justice, and clarity.
My Grandmother’s Hands — Resmaa Menakem
A deep exploration of racialized trauma and body-based healing.
Why I recommend it: Integrates SE-informed practices with systemic trauma wisdom.
Somatic Experiencing® & Mind–Body Healing
In an Unspoken Voice — Peter A. Levine, PhD
Explores trauma through physiology, science, and story.
Why I recommend it: Demonstrates how trauma is about the nervous system, not memory alone.
Trauma and Memory — Peter A. Levine, PhD
Clarifies implicit vs. explicit memory and sensory-based experiences.
Why I recommend it: Especially supportive for SE + Lifespan Integration clients.
Why We Remember — Dr. Charan Ranganath
An engaging exploration of why memories stick and how they shape us.
Why I recommend it: Perfect for clients navigating fragmented or sensory memory work.
Attachment, Relationships & Developmental Trauma
Attached — Amir Levine & Rachel Heller
An accessible overview of attachment styles.
Why I recommend it: Helps clients make sense of relational patterns quickly.
The Power of Attachment — Diane Poole Heller
A healing-oriented guide to restoring secure connection.
Why I recommend it: Ideal for clients working toward earned secure attachment.
Nurturing Resilience — Kathy L. Kain & Stephen J. Terrell
A Somatic Experiencing–informed look at developmental trauma and regulation.
Why I recommend it: Beautifully integrates early trauma, attachment, and body-based healing.
Trauma Healing for Women
Rage Becomes Her — Soraya Chemaly
An empowering exploration of women’s anger and its healing potential.
Why I recommend it: Helps clients safely reconnect with suppressed activation.
What Happened to You? — Oprah Winfrey & Dr. Bruce Perry
A validating look at how early experiences influence adulthood.
Why I recommend it: Accessible and supportive for clients new to trauma concepts.
Call of the Wild — Kimberly Ann Johnson
A somatic guide for reconnecting with instinct, boundaries, and empowerment.
Why I recommend it: Integrates female physiology and nervous system healing.
Come As You Are — Emily Nagoski, PhD
A compassionate, research-backed exploration of women's sexuality and stress responses.
Why I recommend it: Essential for trauma-informed intimacy and healing.
Complex PTSD, Emotional Recovery & Trauma Integration
Complex PTSD: From Surviving to Thriving — Pete Walker
An essential guide to understanding emotional neglect and long-term trauma patterns.
Why I recommend it: Clients feel profoundly understood and validated.
The Tao of Fully Feeling — Pete Walker
A powerful guide to emotional healing after developmental trauma.
Why I recommend it: Helps clients navigate emotional flashbacks with compassion.
What My Bones Know — Stephanie Foo
A stunning memoir about living with and healing from Complex PTSD.
Why I recommend it: Validating, humanizing, and grounded in nervous system science.