Book and Resource Recommendations for Trauma Survivors

Healing from trauma is a journey — one that unfolds in layers and often requires a mix of professional support, personal reflection, and community connection. While working with a trauma therapist is an important step, many survivors also find healing in books, podcasts, and other resources that validate their experiences and expand their understanding. Whether you’re just beginning or are deep into your trauma recovery journey, these resources can serve as powerful companions. And the best part? Many are accessible right from home — a perfect complement to online therapy.

Why Books and Resources Matter in Trauma Recovery
Survivors often feel isolated in their pain. Reading stories, learning about the nervous system, or discovering new frameworks can reduce shame and create language for what once felt unspeakable. For BIPOC clients, identity-affirming resources written by and for BIPOC communities are especially crucial — they offer culturally resonant insights that mainstream sources may overlook.

Here are some recommended books and tools, all of which support or complement work done in online therapy or trauma healing modalities like EMDR:

📘 Books for Trauma Education & Healing

1. The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk
A foundational text on how trauma lives in the body — and how healing goes beyond talk therapy.

2. What My Bones Know by Stephanie Foo
A memoir-meets-education journey through complex PTSD, written by a woman of color navigating identity and trauma.

3. It Didn't Start with You by Mark Wolynn
Explores how generational trauma is passed down and how EMDR, somatic work, and narrative reframing can support healing.

4. Set Boundaries, Find Peace by Nedra Glover Tawwab
Written by a BIPOC therapist, this book offers clear, accessible guidance on how to establish and maintain boundaries with love and clarity.

5. My Grandmother’s Hands by Resmaa Menakem
A somatic and racialized trauma guidebook for healing Black, white, and police bodies — with practices rooted in body awareness and ancestral wisdom.

🎧 Podcasts and Media

• Therapy for Black Girls – Insightful, culturally grounded episodes on mental health, healing, and identity

• The Trauma Therapist Podcast – Interviews with therapists and trauma survivors that demystify the healing process

• LatinX Therapy – Mental health education and conversations from a Latinx cultural perspective

💻 Helpful Tools & Apps

• Insight Timer or Calm – Free meditations for grounding, especially before or after therapy

• Reflectly or Daylio – Journaling apps that help track mood, patterns, and triggers

• SimplePractice Client Portal – For clients doing online therapy, this tool often houses secure messaging, forms, and access to therapist notes or handouts

Conclusion
Healing is not linear, and it’s not something you have to do alone. Whether you’re working with a BIPOC therapist, exploring trauma through online therapy, or using EMDR to process deeper wounds, supplemental resources like books and podcasts can help you feel less alone and more empowered. Let these tools remind you: healing is possible — and you’re allowed to take your time.

If you're ready to embark on a journey of healing and personal transformation, I encourage you to reach out. I am passionate about trauma-informed care in all spaces as well as creating safety so you can process your experiences at your own pace. Please contact me to schedule a consultation and learn more about how online trauma therapy can help you achieve your goals.

I am dedicated to helping you create a life filled with greater joy, fulfillment, and resilience. Let's work together to start your healing journey.