officialgrittynhl's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
5.0
shewantsthediction's review
hopeful
informative
reflective
slow-paced
3.0
This best part of this book was the explanation of how long-term memory works: implicit vs. explicit memories. In simple terms, these are memories we can't consciously recall versus ones we do. Many survivors, such as those with PTSD, have issues consciously accessing the memories of their trauma, but this is still remembered and acted upon in the body (procedural memory). Healing comes when integrating these forgotten/repressed/avoided memories back into explicit episodic memory—aka autobiographical memory, or the story we tell ourselves about our memories/lives. The author pioneers a technique he calls Somatic Experiencing to help his clients navigate this reintegration, thereby completing the cycle that was originally thwarted.
The book takes a bit of an academic tone, with lots of unnecessarily complicated words and phrases, but I suppose that's to be expected from a dude with two doctorates. He also adds in random anecdotes and tangents, so it's rather self-indulgent. I also detected a lowkey racist undercurrent—he makes reference to "knife-wielding Bronx gangs" and owning "a turquoise Hopi gourd rattle." 🙄
The book takes a bit of an academic tone, with lots of unnecessarily complicated words and phrases, but I suppose that's to be expected from a dude with two doctorates. He also adds in random anecdotes and tangents, so it's rather self-indulgent. I also detected a lowkey racist undercurrent—he makes reference to "knife-wielding Bronx gangs" and owning "a turquoise Hopi gourd rattle." 🙄
carbine's review
5.0
Essential reading for laypeople and clinicians interested in the subject. Levine presents historical and new clinical observations in an accessible, thoroughly readable manner.
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