Unbroken- The Trauma Response Is Never Wrong- And Other Things You Need to Know to Take Back Your Life by MaryCatherine McDonald
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Web ID: 16836672Love this book!
This is a fantastic, beautiful addition to books addressing healing from trauma. I really appreciated the author's compassionate tone, and her repetition that there is no shame in having utilized certain behaviors in the past to survive trauma. Her descriptions of different trauma responses, as well as the underlying neurobiological mechanisms necessary for healing were very clear and helpful. At the end of each chapter are one or more (deceptively) simple yet powerful exercises to address the trauma response covered in the chapter. Also much appreciated is the section at the back for further reading on each topic. Just a wonderful resource - and I'm looking forward to Dr. McDonald's next great book!
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
A Wonderful Tool Kit for Anyone Who is Struggling
Dr MC McDonald does a beautiful job of both explaining the neuroscience and making the concepts accessible. Her style is warm and welcoming, reading the book feels like being invited to coffee with a good friend. She is able to give hope to those who need it most. Loved the client stories and how she shared her personal experience. Made me feel like we are all in this together. Highly recommend this book.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Life-changing
Dr. McDonald's book is accessible, relational, and full of tools to help everyone heal from trauma, no matter the pactircular brand of trauma. We all have something to learn from this hook.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Pleasantly surprised
I like learning about the latest research and techniques in the field of psychology, especially as it relates to trauma and how we can grow from the wounds that have marked us. MaryCatherine McDonald has an interesting take that is both refreshing and updated to our understanding of trauma in today's world, not the world of our parents or grandparents. Information that is both relevant and up to date with today's definitions of what trauma is, how we respond and why, the shame that is attached to this and why it shouldn't be, paths forward in how to grow in a healthy way, as well as list making and challenges to identify what we know and to help us identify maybe what we know but haven't really been able to name or explain. I personally like how she speaks frankly, honestly, and in a way that resonates truthfully. While it isn't as in depth (it's more of an introduction type) as some other materials out there, I wouldn't discount it. I think it's a great place to start someone who has trauma and is just starting to explore it, or even someone who wants to see if this could help them unlock something new (I believe it just may do that for them). I was pleasantly surprised and would recommend this to those searching. *I received a copy of this book from NetGalley. This review is my own opinion*
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com
Beyond Recommended If You're Trauma-Curious
I was lucky enough to get an "NQA" ARC and I reread it the second I finished it. I never review books—which is lame since I always read *pages* of reviews before clicking that Buy button. Unbroken is an easy 5-star book. I have now read it 3x and reckon it’ll be one of those gems I reread every year. I’ve read and reread all the trauma biggies—Judith Herman, van der Kolk, Paul Conti’s book last year, Oprah, Gabs, you name it—and Dr. McDonald’s *Unbroken* is the best-written and most helpful of the bunch, imo. Dr. M. writes beautifully, like, “literary memoir” caliber, about personal traumas that informed her career path and is very accessible when things get more technical around neurobiology and trauma. (My eyes usually glaze over when things get too scientific.) The writer’s take on trauma is very democratic and capacious and she seems dead-set on “taking the shame out” at every step, which I found helpful and inspiring. The meta-message is just like the subtitle says: "The trauma response is never wrong". The tools are practical and free and within reach and are presented in an inclusive way that makes you actually try them out vs. just rubbing your chin and intellectualizing how the tool might work. (What I usually do.) Overall, McDonald writes with an easy expertise that is authoritative while still being accessible to someone not trained in dealing with trauma professionally or academically. I pre-ordered 5 copies for friends I’ve met in Group and/or exchanged psych books with before. Yeah, that good.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com