Crash Course: A Self-Healing Guide to Auto Accident Trauma and Recovery

by Diane Heller, Laurence Heller, Peter Levine (Foreword)

Trauma following automobile accidents can persist for weeks, months, or longer. Symptoms include nervousness, sleep disorders, loss of appetite, and sexual dysfunction. In Crash Course , Diane Poole Heller and Laurence Heller take readers through a series of case histories and exercises to explain and treat the health problems and trauma brought on by car accidents.

Genres: Psychology, Nonfiction

232 pages, Paperback

First published June 9, 2001

Reviews

[Corrina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have had the great fortune to work with Diane off and on for many years. Twenty years ago I was hit by a Mack truck, and her amazing work helped me to move through the PTSD of that horrific experience. Amazingly, lightening struck twice, and I was hit by a gravel truck that ran a red light last August, and began work on this accident. It's been hard going, as the "head injury" component is much more pronounced this time around. The book has been a great help as we work through this. She outlines the things that may arise as healing progresses and gives you things to do to help the whole process. She has a tremendous number of resources to bring to this work, and is a great teacher as well. Just love her work!

[Angel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been needing to get over an accident, so I picked this up. I don't know that it's 'healed' me, but I'm not sure self-help books really have that power. It's more about how much you're willing to engage and practice the pieces that resonate with you.

Overall, I did learn some useful things. It made me more aware of my reactions to the accident, how my body responds to me thinking about it, and how out of practice I am with self-soothing. There are bits that I believe rereading and practicing regularly will positively change my life.

I didn't give it 5 stars because I think it could have done more. The ending is just a light touch on a lot of topics and related stories without any detail. Some of the details that should have been included in the instructions were illustrated in the examples. That's a good way to prevent repeating yourself, but if someone is skipping the examples because they find them triggering, they're going to miss potentially helpful suggestions.

Overall can recommend even if you weren't in the car for your accident.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Informative and enlightening. Fascinating insight into the aftermath of auto accident trauma. Even the smallest of accidents can leave one traumatized, and this book offers helpful ways in understanding how the body and the mind react to an accident as well as ways in which one can start to recover. Anyone who has ever been in an auto accident can benefit from reading this book.

[Catherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this as recommended to help me process being hit by a car ( as a pedestrian) in Dec 2014. While thankfully I wasn't majorly hurt, I did find this very helpful. It also encourage me ( tho not on purpose) to process other crap that has happened to me. It's an easy read but take your time reading it. You'll want to think about it.

[Amanda]

Very good read for therapists and/or anyone who has had a car accident.