Product Description

Based on the experiences of hundreds of survivors, "The Courage to Heal" profiles victims who share the challenges and triumphs of their personal healing processes. Inspiring and comprehensive, it offers mental, emotional and physical support to all people who are in the process of rebuilding their lives. "The Courage to Heal" offers hope, encouragement and practical advice to every woman who was sexually abused as a child and answers some vital questions, including: How do I know if I was sexually abused? Where does the decision to heal start? How can I break the silence and who will listen? How can I re-build my self-esteem, intimacy and capacity to love? What therapy, support groups, self-help programmes or organisations are available?

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #16158 in Books
• Published on: 2002-04-11
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 495 pages

About the Author
Ellen Bass is a lecturer and professional trainer; she has worked with survivors for more than 20 years. Laura Davis is a lecturer and author. Both authors are internationally renowned experts on healing from child sexual abuse. Their books have sold over 1.5 million copies worldwide.

Customer Reviews

truly inspirational and invaluable
Although I was not sexually abused as a child, I come from a household of extreme pysical and emotional abuse. My counsellor recommended this book to me because she thought that it would be useful to me in helping me understand about the complications and effects of secrecy, shame, trust, grief, sadness and also the ability to pick up the pieces and move on.She was right and it has helped me enormously. There was much of this book that was applicable to my circumstances even though the book was not directed at my background specifically, and the section in the back for partners has been incredibly helpful for my boyfriend who has been able to read and understand the impact that our painful and abusive childhoods can have on our lives.

I found making notes as I thought of memories and questions that the book raised to be very helpul and the tasks to do at the end of each chapter to be a good way of noting your progress. If you are already in counselling it's a useful book to follow your progress with too... I found that the first few chapters raised issues and feelings that I had already begun to deal with, and later in the book as it begins to talk about confrontation of abusers, speaking out and moving on, I felt that these were true goals for me to work towards. The womens stories used to portray the varying lifestyles and backgrounds are truly inspiring and you can't help but feel empowered and reassured that we are by no means alone in our despair, anguish, anger and grief.

I would urge anyone who comes from any type of abusive background- physical, emotional or sexual, to pick up this book and give it a go.

Any survivor needs this book
Anyone who is a victim of childhood sexual abuse needs to read this book. It is a book for women which for me, made reading it much easier. The 'self help' books I had used before were much more clinical and full of medical mumbo jumbo, but this one was absolutely aimed at the healing woman and the problems she might or is facing.

It contains case studies of survivors who came forward to help with the book. Some are so harrowing, but it just makes you feel stronger, because these women are an inspiration. The writers both suvivors of sexual abuse specifically aim to make the book a kind caring read. I have owned it for a few weeks and it was recommended to me by my counsellor. I am so glad I have it, I am not sure where I'd be without it now. It certainly replaces my bible!

I also think it is a vital read for anyone involved with helping survivors. It contains a wealth of information which no counsellor/therapist/friend/family should be without. It really helps to give you a perspective on how the survivor will heal, the various stages, emotions, self abuse, confrontations and there is also a chapter specifically for counsellors. I cannot recommend it enough and like I said NO counsellor or helper should be without it.

THE survivor's bible
I cannot rate this book highly enough! It was recommended to me by another survivor and I found it an absolute godsend from the first page. The book deals with the issues surrounding recovery in a very real, down to earth and practical way. It provides practical tips on how to cope through each stage - but most importantly offers the survivor the welcome reassurance that it is ok to feel as you do during the process of coming to terms with what has happened, and that there IS hope. It is not always easy to read and some of the testimonies are harrowing, but the book has clear chapters which can be dipped into depending on what stage someone is at. The courage of the other survivors shines through, and the book helps to dispel any doubts some may have that what happened 'wasn't too bad'.

This is an amazing book, it has helped me (with the Courage to Heal Workbook) more than any other during my healing process. If you are a survivor wondering whether to buy this book, please do it - it WILL make a big difference. If you are a counsellor or interested in understanding how a survivor feels, this book will help do that.

'Courage to Heal' provides a stepping stone to do just this.