Main description:

Most people experience trauma during their lifetime. Tragically, if the impact of trauma is not addressed - and it rarely is - its legacy can remain locked in the body. For trauma victims, life simply feels unsafe. Traumatic memories leave an unforgiving cloak of intense anxiety and easily-triggered, unhelpful reactions over a person's thoughts, feelings and physiological responses. These can be a life sentenced. Traumatic events can range from the effects of the pandemic to losing a pet, from fighting in a war to suffering domestic abuse, from witnessing a car accident to experiencing intrusive medical examinations. Trauma strikes deep into both body and mind.

That's where Thrive Beyond Trauma: Coach yourself to move on in a troubled world steps in and offers a more optimistic future. This practical and understandable book guides readers along their personal roads to recovery. It blends real-life stories, down-to-earth advice and a range of personal activities that the reader can undertake. It is presented in an easy-to read style that befriends the reader. It is the trauma sufferer's companion and guide to a better life.

Divided into sections, the journey starts with an understanding of the impact and legacy of trauma. Many people are simply unaware of how deeply they are affected by trauma They continuously experience triggers that can have a devastating impact on their relationship with others, both at home and at work.

Drawing upon the author's own experiences and citing works from experts in trauma, this book shows how trauma victims might know what to do, but suffer from repeated emotional and physiological hijacks.

Acceptance and awareness are some of the foundations that enable the start of the recovery journey. Also crucial at these early stages are a desire to move forwards and the support of others.

The book then shows how people can move through grief and traumatic memories and start to set the scenery for their better lives. These help readers liberate themselves from the chains of their past and move forwards to greater fulfilment.

The final sections explore personal growth and transformation. There are so many practical activities that people can do to move on. Added to these are vital inputs on how to 'be': how to inhabit their bodies and how to be in life - whether with other people or through personal activities. Combining what people 'do' and how they can 'be' leads to who they can 'become' - often, much more than they might have imagined. Ultimately, they are able to fulfil more of their potential and live happier and more deeply satisfying lives.

The message of this book is that 'you are not alone'. The real-life stories of trauma sufferers will resonate with readers and author Keith Nelson draws not only upon his 25 years' experience as a coach, but also shares his personal traumatic experiences.

Trauma is isolating. This friendly, easy-to-read book is an authentic companion to trauma sufferers that will inspire them to move onwards in their lives. With this book, the reader is not alone. With this book, we will be ok.

Contents:

Part 1: Understanding trauma and its impact

1 What is trauma?

2 Understanding trauma

3 Traumatic experiences: the short-term, the substantial and the severe

4 The awfulness that is abuse

Trauma recovery stories: Keith

5 Keith's story: an unintentional trauma

6 Overcoming my anxiety to write about my trauma

Part 2: Ignite the spark to get moving

7 Access your inner resources

8 When is this going to end? What you can start to do. Right now

9 Time to get moving!

Trauma recovery stories: Jane

10 Jane's story: waking up into a nightmare

Part 3: Acceptance

11 Accept yourself for who you are and for what happened to you

12 The past has passed

13 Unfinished business from the past

14 You're OK, I'm OK. We're OK. Okay!

15 Notice your feelings for self-awareness

16 Connecting with your body

17 Symptoms of trauma: learn to respond rather than react

18 From dissociating to connecting

19 Nurture and enrich the inner game of your life

20 Live in your body, safely

21 Emotional intelligence - using your head and your heart

22 What is your gut saying?

23 Survive your way

24 Get in touch with your core

25 Boundaries: where I meet you and you meet me

Trauma recovery stories: Karen

26 Karen's story: from nursing and waiting to coaching and changing

Part 4: Relief through release: why listening is so important

27 Being listened to or being given advice? What you don't want

28 When what you really want is just to be heard and understood

Trauma recovery stories: Rob

29 Rob's story: from near-death to rebirth to physical and creative growth

Part 5: Grieving, healing, therapy and personal change journeys

30 The healing journey

31 Discover your path on the trauma recovery journey

32 How change happens

Trauma recovery stories: Madeleine

33 Madeleine's story: escaping from 25 years of emotional abuse

Part 6: Setting the scene to create your future

34 Create your future

Trauma recovery stories: John

35 John's story: from the battlefields of war to the offices of England

Part 7: Transform yourself: being and becoming

36 The journey of being and becoming who you want to be

37 Rethinking and resetting post-traumatic stress disorder to include post-traumatic growth

38 65 affirmations to boost your confidence

39 Attend to your felt sense

40 Think, feel, intuit, do

41 Yoga: breathe, exhale and inhabit your body

42 Mindfulness, meditation and awareness

43 Who do you want to be?

44 Ask yourself the miracle question

45 Water for wellness

46 Connecting with your environment

Trauma recovery stories: Miro

47 Miro's story: old traumas, new beginnings

Part 8: Awareness into action: stepping up your trauma recovery journey

48 Being in the present

49 Hear your words, change your language and shape your world for the better

50 Reaching and making decisions

51 Build your support networks

52 Shape, soften and flex your armour to respond the way you want

Trauma recovery stories: Rachel

53 Rachel's story: noticing and responding to anxiety and stress in both body and mind

Part 9: Live your best life

54 A-Z of passions and activities you can do

55 Over to you: What you can do - How you can be - Who you can become

56 Last words: 16 golden tips to accelerate your journey from recovery to health, wholeness and towards future possibilities