Healing the Trauma of Abuse: A Women's Workbook

by Mary Ellen Copeland MS MA, Maxine Harris

Trauma can turn your world upside down; afterward, nothing may look safe or familiar. And, if you are a woman, studies show that you are twice as likely than your male counterparts to suffer from the effects of a traumatic event sometime during your life. Whether the trauma is physical, sexual, or emotional, these events can overwhelm you, destroying your sense of being in control and altering your attachments to others. If left unaddressed, the resulting psychological trauma can lead you to a wide range of destructive symptoms like anxiety, depression, substance abuse, phobias, personality disorders, flashbacks, emotional numbing, and nightmares. This book offers proven-effective, step-by-step exercises you can use to work through and minimize the consequences of a traumatic event.

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

408 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 2000

Reviews

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a feminist therapist, I was initially drawn to this workbook as it was written specifically for women. I'm always looking for good workbooks for clients to use in conjunction with therapy as they work through issues associated with trauma.

Overall, I liked this workbook. It offered a lot of great, practical exercises that promote healing, wellness, and re-discovery of self. The accessibility was awesome; as a tool for clients, the detailed yet simple psychoeducational components were incredible, as was the lack of confusing jargon.

That said, there were a couple of specific parts of this workbook that I didn't particularly care for. One section seemed to subtly (and unintentionally, I'm assuming) reinforce victim blaming culture, while another section contained material that was heteronormative and fat shaming. I found these components a bit alienating and off-putting. Additionally, I think some of this material oversimplifies the recovery process and doesn't necessarily do a great job of preparing women for the emotional intensity of trauma processing. They do encourage work with a therapist at various points, but this is largely advertised as a "self-help" type book which is troublesome given the difficulty of safely and effectively dealing with complex trauma.

All in all, because the good outweighs the bad, and because I am certain the previously mentioned problematic components were entirely unintentional, I give this book a pass and would recommend it to my clients as a helpful tool to use it in conjunction with therapy and other professional treatment to ensure safe processing of trauma, and to work through any problematic responses to the material in the book itself.

[Kelly Farnan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I highly recommend to any woman who has suffered abuse. I also recommend looking into other workbooks to pair with this one once its completed. There are some great workbooks by the same company for anxiety, depression, stress, and self-esteem. I believe everyone should do at least one of those books as well. As a psychology student, myself, I believe this book is a great tool!!

[Alora · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book would be amazing for someone who would like to become more self-aware. Better understand how their past affects their present, how their behaviors are harmful, how to potentially change those behaviors, how to determine if relationships are healthy, etc.

[Nina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just wow! In case you want to work on healing trauma, this is an absolutely awesome title. The approach is one that focuses on positive messaging, but when you go through the different exercises to assess your situation there is plenty of room to write down the traumatic things too.
I love the structure, and most of all just how detailed the exercises are. The whole book is made by women specifically for women, and it shows throughout, whether it is in the topics What It Means to Be a Woman, Feeling Better about Your Body, a topic like Physical Boundaries, and any other, they are made to help women, and the positive messages are meant to do the same. You can delve into the different exercises as deep as you want to. Whether you want to use this book on your own, or as part of therapy, I can definitely recommend this title.
6 out of 5 stars.

[Ann R. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This workbook is truly a lifeline for women navigating the aftermath of trauma. What stood out to me most is how practical and empowering it is, every exercise feels intentional and healing-centered. It doesn’t just explain trauma; it gently walks you through it. A deeply compassionate and useful resource.

[Jerry E. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I appreciated how this book balances honesty with hope. Trauma is discussed in a very real, unfiltered way, but the exercises provide a sense of direction and control. It feels like having a supportive guide beside you throughout the healing process.

[Amy C. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is not just a book, it’s a healing tool. The step-by-step exercises are incredibly effective and easy to follow, even when dealing with heavy emotions. I would highly recommend it to anyone ready to begin or continue their recovery journey.

[Anna J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

What makes this workbook so powerful is its accessibility. You don’t need to be an expert in psychology to benefit from it. It meets you where you are and helps you rebuild a sense of safety and self-understanding.

[Benjamin Robert · Rating 5 out of 5]

A deeply compassionate and validating read. It acknowledges the complexity of trauma while offering practical ways to cope and heal. I found the exercises especially helpful for grounding and reflection.

[Biddle Cantu · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book does an excellent job of helping readers understand how trauma impacts the mind and body. The guided exercises make it more than just informative, they make it transformative. A must-read for anyone seeking structured healing.

[Cherene · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another counselor recommended this book to me as a resource to help clients who are survivors of abuse. This book has some good ideas of topics to discuss, but doesn't go very in depth into any of them. It gives some good starting points, but not any real resolution.

[Paula · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is a work in progress.