🔼: [[Books - Nonfiction]] # Complex PTSD From Surviving to Thriving A Guide and Map for Recovering from Childhood Trauma Author(s):: [[👤 Pete Walker]] Release Date:: 2013-12-13 Amazon:: [Affiliate Link](https://amzn.to/3T0eD61) Bookshop:: [Affiliate Link](https://bookshop.org/a/81679/9781492871842) ## Subject Matter - [[💡 Complex PTSD]] - [[💡 Emotional Flashback|Emotional Flashbacks]] - The [[🛡️ Criticizing|inner-critic]], the Outer Critic - [[Abandonment]] - [[🕯️ Self-Stewardship]] - The 4Fs ([[🛡️ Fight]], [[🛡️ Flight]], [[🛡️ Freeze]], [[🛡️ Fawn]]) - "The hierarchy of self-injuring responses that childhood trauma forces survivors to adopt.” ## Description Its sequel is [[📖 The Tao of Fully Feeling Harvesting Forgiveness Out of Blame]]. ## My Thoughts It's a common belief that if we are to choose one book about recovering from [[💡 Complex PTSD]] it should be this one. Pete's is a kind voice, and I learned a lot, but the book is, I think, highly and pointlessly triggering and I find that exploitative. It took me many months to finish. I’ve doubtlessly forgotten much of it and am not sure if I’ll read it again. I take issue with any book on recovery that gives off a "this is the way it is, and this is THE way to recover" vibe because there are many paths to healing and Pete is only speaking from his limited personal experience, and I think we have to learn to trust our own. Especially if it happens to contradict the book. I'm also not a fan of Pete's handling of the [[🛡️ Criticizing|inner-critic]]. He suggests we use our [[💡 Anger]] to argue with or verbally beat down the Inner-Critic but I would argue this is just another form of self-hatred. I also know this book has been immeasurably helpful for many people. I think that’s wonderful. Please don’t take my response to the book as what I think you or anyone else ought to think. [[🔑 The Guide is not gospel]].