Getting Through the Day: Strategies for Adults Hurt as Children

by Nancy J. Napier

This book enables adults who were traumatized as children to learn new strategies to meet the demands of daily living. While focusing on the effects of dissociation and including specific advice for multiples, Nancy Napier presents dozens of exercises helpful to anyone who finds that unresolved childhood feelings are blocking life's path.

Genres: Self Help, Psychology, Nonfiction, Mental Health, Abuse, Counselling, Reference

303 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1993

About the author

Nancy Napier is a psychotherapist working in New York.

Reviews

[Emma · Rating 3 out of 5]

Conceptually this book is great. It's unique in the sense that it focuses on disassociation caused by childhood trauma, but it can get confusing as it is aimed towards those with DID (dissociative identity disorder) and those with "normal" disassociation.

As a multiple (someone with dissociative identity disorder) I found a lot of the book confusing and not very relevant. The occasional "side notes" for multiple didn't offer much in the way of DID specific strategies, so I feel that while the book could be a great resource for those adults who have dissociative issues from childhood trauma, it doesn't do much for those with DID.

DID is very complicated, and this book offered a very simplistic view of the issues we face in day to day life. I walked away feeling alienated after reading this book, and as it was my therapist that gave it to me to read, I gathered a few other books on DID that I think will be of much better use.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a useful book about how to deal with adult situations that trigger inner child feelings like hurt, anger and fear. It contained mental exercises, meditations and numerous suggestions for how to deal with feelings in the moment.

I have not done many of the exercises or meditations. Reading the book from start to finish gave me enough guidance for on the spot self-treatment. The tone of the book was loving, with a strong emphasis on curiosity as a means for learning one's childhood story, a combination of actual memories, altered memories, feelings and impressions.

Some of the mental techniques seem to require a degree of practice.

This book is quite general about abuse and childhood hurts. I am interested to read further in subjects particularly related to my experiences, since the general information was a bit too vague at times.

[Sophie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is filled with tips and techniques to guide the readers on their healing journey. It takes advantage of the reader's vast imagination, using all the senses to vividly visualize the unconscious and work from there.
The cover and the title didn't work for me so I covered the book with a piece of construction paper: it is now bright orange with no title which motivates me to pick it up! On the whole, the editing needs some work: there are typos and the formatting in general isn't very exciting. Maybe it only needs to be refreshed.
The content is a treasure and I recommend it to any adult with a difficult past. I also found that it helps at any stage of the recovery.

[Eliza T. Williamson · Rating 5 out of 5]

For many years this book really helped me on a daily, sometimes hourly basis to stay grounded in the present moment. Napier's ideas are simple, smart and easily implemented immediatly--I recommend this to anyone who is struggling with the aftermath of trauma.

[Nell · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is so insightful

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

An outstanding book both for survivors of childhood abuse and other trauma and for clinicians working with them. It provides plenty of concrete, practical strategies people can use to reduce the impact of the symptoms of PTSD and improve their quality of life, as well as ample discussion of the philosophy and theory behind the practice. Strongly recommended!

[Clara Bella · Rating 5 out of 5]

Offers a lot of tips, strategies and coping skills for anyone dealing with any kind of early childhood trauma, from any kind of difficult environments this society provides! Is also useful for understanding loved ones that are survivors.

[Kiera Gardner]

I have read parts of this book already, and I am truly fasinated by the information it gives about dissociation in adults who have been hurt as children.

[Kimberly · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent book on recovery from child sexual abuse. Not meant as a stand alone but a helping type of guide.

[Cheryl · Rating 1 out of 5]

horrible book, not sure why it was rccommended it was completely irrelevent to my life , what a waste of time.

[Diana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Did not finish

[Josie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of useful information in here for people who have dealt with Trauma and who are experiencing some form of dissociation.