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Journey Through Trauma: A Trail Guide to the 5-Phase Cycle of Healing Repeated Trauma
For survivors of PTSD and repeated, relational trauma -- and the people who love them.Gretchen Schmelzer watched too many people quit during treatment for trauma recovery. They found it too difficult or too frightening or just decided that for them it was too late. But as a therapist and trauma survivor herself, Dr. Schmelzer wants us to know that it is never too late to heal from trauma, whether it is the suffering caused within an abusive relationship or PTSD resulting from combat. Sometimes what feels like a big setback is actually an unexpected difficult step forward. So she wrote Journey Through Trauma specifically for survivors--to help them understand the terrain of the healing process and stay on the path. There are three basic principles that every trauma survivor should Healing is possible. It requires courage. And it cannot be done alone. Traumas that happen more than once--child abuse, sexual abuse, domestic violence, gang violence, even war--are all relational traumas. They happened inside a relationship and therefore must be healed inside a relationship, whether that relationship is with a therapist or within a group. Journey Through Trauma gives us a map to help guide us through that healing process, see where the hard parts show up, and persevere in the process of getting well. We learn the five phases that every survivor must negotiate along the way and come to understand that since the cycle of healing is not linear, circling back around to a previous stage does not mean defeat - it actually means progress as well as facing new challenges. Authoritative and accessible, Journey Through Trauma provides support for survivors and their loved ones through one of the most challenging but necessary processes of healing that anyone can face.
335 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2018
219 people are currently reading
2934 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 67 reviews
March 23, 2018
This is not a self-help or a how-to book. Instead, it is a companion volume that Dr. Schmelzer means you to consult as you heal from repetitive trauma with the assistance of a therapist (or group, friend, or what have you). She is very clear that healing trauma is not a journey you should take on your own. This book describes and explains what you are likely to encounter in each phase of your healing. However, the 5 phases as she describes them rarely happen in a linear fashion - some parts of you may be on the Unintegration phase, others may be in the Identification pahse, and so on. The phases may repeat themselves many times.
The 5 phases as Dr. Scmelzer describes them are:
1. Preparation - The work before the work: creating trust and safety
2. Unintegration - Intentional and supported coming apart e.g. dismantling defenses
3. Identification - Examination and sorting of one's trauma experiences
4. Integration - Seeing the whole picture of yourself and becoming a new, whole person
5. Consolidation - Getting ready for Preparation again
Each section of the book covers one phase. Chapters within each section are short, so they are easy to get through and easy to put down if you've had enough for the time being. The language is clear and not excessively clinical. Examples and explanations abound. The first sections, being more difficult, are longer and more detailed than the later sections.
The 5 phases as Dr. Scmelzer describes them are:
1. Preparation - The work before the work: creating trust and safety
2. Unintegration - Intentional and supported coming apart e.g. dismantling defenses
3. Identification - Examination and sorting of one's trauma experiences
4. Integration - Seeing the whole picture of yourself and becoming a new, whole person
5. Consolidation - Getting ready for Preparation again
Each section of the book covers one phase. Chapters within each section are short, so they are easy to get through and easy to put down if you've had enough for the time being. The language is clear and not excessively clinical. Examples and explanations abound. The first sections, being more difficult, are longer and more detailed than the later sections.
April 1, 2018
By far the best book I’ve read on trauma recovery. It’s not a self help book and the author clearly states so. I love her rowing and hiking metaphors. I also love her descriptions and the clarity in her writing. It’s a rare thing to find a guidebook for healing journey written with such skill by someone who has been, and still is, on the same journey. For anyone interested in the subject of trauma healing and/or the hero journey, this is a must read... probably a must own!
May 6, 2018
Amazing! It is helping me understand that I have been travelling far on my healing journey. Particularly when I was frustrated and felt like I was going nowhere. It has generated so much insight and compassion within myself. This truly is the only document that I have found that captures this troubling journey and doesn't pathologise it but humanises it above theory and symptomatologies. It is a spiritual guidebook of strength and revelation!
July 24, 2018
I have had a difficult time finding reads that help me make sense of healing from trauma in tangible, realistic frames. This one did it, effectively, thoroughly, and thoughtfully. Thank you, Gretchen Schmelzer, for being willing to name what is often unnamable.
July 31, 2018
As stated by previous reviewers, this isn't a self-help book, but an adjunct to those who're working with a therapist or group. Still, it's an enormously useful resource for anyone trying to process trauma. Dr. Schmelzer is compassionate and pragmatic without verging on sugary or authoritarian. I found the book both emotionally reassuring and practically helpful.
November 6, 2018
The most practical book I've ever read on the subject. This is the book I'll keep returning to. Gretchen Schmelzer explains what she believes the cycle of healing from trauma is and it makes so much sense! This is not a self-help book, but it is a book that is designed to easily return to at any point in your recovery cycle. For years I kept trying to heal from Point A to Point B and I kept feeling like a failure every time I'd find myself back at the same place again and again. The author explains that healing is a cycle and we repeat steps many, many times throughout our lives. This is also the first book I've seen that addresses repeated trauma specifically. Unlike a single traumatic incident, ongoing trauma changes who we are as a person and makes us adjust how we live and interact. There is an emphasis in the book in identifying and repairing the missing pieces of our development. The book argues that the emphasis should not be placed on what happened, it should be placed on what DIDN'T happen. While traumatic events were happening regularly in our lives, other key developmental and personal milestones were not happening. We missed some key pieces of our development. Rather than focusing energy on the negative events that happened, the author leads you to identify and discover the key elements that you still need to learn to function your best. I've read many, many books on this topic, but this one was the most practical and realistic book on the subject that I've ever read.
May 31, 2023
One of the most insightful and kind books I have ever read. Wish it had existed at the beginning of my healing journey. (Had to figure out so much of this stuff myself against prevailing wisdom that told me to do things differently!) Still got a lot out of it and look forward to rereading parts, and sharing it with others.
December 18, 2023
wisdom - this is the word that comes to mind as I finished this book.
this book is replete with wisdom for the journey that is confronting and healing trauma. Gretchen’s regular and tactful use of metaphor meant that the ineffability, abstraction and disorganization that often accompanies the harrowing and exhausting work of trauma healing and therapy were accessible, meaningful, and actually assistive.
This is perhaps the most *helpful* book I’ve read to-date on trauma.
It should be said though that it’s not so much about “trauma” as it is about the “work of healing (repeated) trauma.” To me it should be required reading for humans - it is a vehicle for increasing compassion and understanding - whether for your own journey or for the journeys of others you encounter in life.
Grateful for Gretchen’s wisdom, this will be a book I return to regularly.
this book is replete with wisdom for the journey that is confronting and healing trauma. Gretchen’s regular and tactful use of metaphor meant that the ineffability, abstraction and disorganization that often accompanies the harrowing and exhausting work of trauma healing and therapy were accessible, meaningful, and actually assistive.
This is perhaps the most *helpful* book I’ve read to-date on trauma.
It should be said though that it’s not so much about “trauma” as it is about the “work of healing (repeated) trauma.” To me it should be required reading for humans - it is a vehicle for increasing compassion and understanding - whether for your own journey or for the journeys of others you encounter in life.
Grateful for Gretchen’s wisdom, this will be a book I return to regularly.
November 17, 2018
The book is a bit long-winded and I grew tired of the authors commitment to mountain climbing analogies. Aside from that, this book does a great job describing the complexities of the recovery process following childhood trauma. Definitely worth the read for new therapists and anyone considering their own journey through this process.
March 20, 2019
I found the frequent references to mental trauma as being like a physical limp that needs to be addressed as incredibly ableist as someone with a permanent limp. I was being incredibly tolerant, but hearing it a dozen times or so was just cringeworthy.
March 1, 2024
I tried to be generous and give this book 3 stars, but I truly could not.
For most of the book, it felt like a 2.5-3 star book. There was nothing in it that I could not find in other books or that felt especially poignant to me, but I figured her frequent analogies could at least be helpful when talking with other people. It feels very introductory - but that's okay, because there's nothing wrong with a solid introduction! It was fine - nothing special, but fine.
And then about 80% the main text (not counting the resources at the back), the author used a racial slur three times on one page. It's very possible that she was unaware, so I tried to push forward. Then only two pages later, she dove into a multi-page analogy where she explains how she frequently uses Helen Keller's experiences to those of finding a way to conceptualize your trauma. The language and culture loss that many Deaf - and especially DeafBlind - people experience is not comparable to adults with a language foundation understanding their own experiences. Deaf, blind, and disabled people are often used as inspirational touchstones and examples for physical and mental health, and it's not appropriate. And quite frankly, it's just as inaccurate as it is offensive.
I skimmed the last 20% of the book, dipping in and out as things caught my interest, because I knew that if I set my book down after that chapter, I would not finish it. Overall, it was fine, basic and largely spent on analogies, but some people benefit from that content. For me, it was 2 stars and left a bad taste in my mouth.
For most of the book, it felt like a 2.5-3 star book. There was nothing in it that I could not find in other books or that felt especially poignant to me, but I figured her frequent analogies could at least be helpful when talking with other people. It feels very introductory - but that's okay, because there's nothing wrong with a solid introduction! It was fine - nothing special, but fine.
And then about 80% the main text (not counting the resources at the back), the author used a racial slur three times on one page. It's very possible that she was unaware, so I tried to push forward. Then only two pages later, she dove into a multi-page analogy where she explains how she frequently uses Helen Keller's experiences to those of finding a way to conceptualize your trauma. The language and culture loss that many Deaf - and especially DeafBlind - people experience is not comparable to adults with a language foundation understanding their own experiences. Deaf, blind, and disabled people are often used as inspirational touchstones and examples for physical and mental health, and it's not appropriate. And quite frankly, it's just as inaccurate as it is offensive.
I skimmed the last 20% of the book, dipping in and out as things caught my interest, because I knew that if I set my book down after that chapter, I would not finish it. Overall, it was fine, basic and largely spent on analogies, but some people benefit from that content. For me, it was 2 stars and left a bad taste in my mouth.
June 23, 2020
for anyone wanting to come to terms with their own trauma, or anyone else's for that matter, this is highly recommended reading. The fact it is written with such honesty and openness regarding the subject in general, and the authors own experience of trauma, gives it a beautiful weight.
September 24, 2023
3.5 Good content on the subject. I didn’t love the analogies.
August 21, 2024
Journey Through Trauma"* by Gretchen L. Schmelzer stands out from typical personal development books. While many self-help books offer practical tips for individual growth, Schmelzer’s approach is different. Instead of focusing solely on actionable steps one can take to work through trauma, this book is more centered on providing insight into the therapeutic process itself. It emphasizes the importance of having the right tools and strategies to navigate trauma, but it does so with an understanding that true healing often requires the guidance of a therapist. Schmelzer suggests that the relational component of therapy is crucial—being seen by another person is essential to integrating and reshaping the narrative of traumatic experiences.
The author’s background as a psychologist is evident in her detailed descriptions of trauma and its lasting impact on our mental and emotional well-being. Schmelzer stresses that trauma recovery isn’t just about individual work but also involves a co-creative process with a therapist who can help you hold the pain, navigate through it, and ultimately transform it.
However, readers should approach the book with caution, as its subject matter can be emotionally intense. Schmelzer does not shy away from the difficult realities of trauma, which could make the book triggering or overwhelming for some readers. The insights and reflections provided can stir up unresolved feelings, making it easy to find yourself confronted with your struggles while following her step-by-step breakdown of the healing process.
Though at times emotionally heavy, *Journey Through Trauma* offers a profound and thoughtful exploration of what it takes to heal, both personally and relationally. If you’re ready to embark on the difficult but necessary journey toward healing trauma, this book could serve as a valuable companion. Just be prepared to take it slow and give yourself space to absorb and process its wisdom.
The author’s background as a psychologist is evident in her detailed descriptions of trauma and its lasting impact on our mental and emotional well-being. Schmelzer stresses that trauma recovery isn’t just about individual work but also involves a co-creative process with a therapist who can help you hold the pain, navigate through it, and ultimately transform it.
However, readers should approach the book with caution, as its subject matter can be emotionally intense. Schmelzer does not shy away from the difficult realities of trauma, which could make the book triggering or overwhelming for some readers. The insights and reflections provided can stir up unresolved feelings, making it easy to find yourself confronted with your struggles while following her step-by-step breakdown of the healing process.
Though at times emotionally heavy, *Journey Through Trauma* offers a profound and thoughtful exploration of what it takes to heal, both personally and relationally. If you’re ready to embark on the difficult but necessary journey toward healing trauma, this book could serve as a valuable companion. Just be prepared to take it slow and give yourself space to absorb and process its wisdom.
April 30, 2024
Highly recommend!! I felt very seen in this book and even a sense of permission to give myself time and space to heal. It was refreshing to have it all laid out in helpful and simple terms. When you start healing from CPTSD you dont realize just HOW MUCH work it is, and you will often feel discouraged or exhausted. This book really helps define the different stages you go through and helpful tools to maneuver in each one. I will definitely be revisiting this one!
Some of my notes I took as I read:
It's normal to feel waves of grief in the integration phase for someone who's been through repeated truama. Some stages you will feel more than others, and that's ok.
Repeated trauama survivors are not used to being able to say the truth. Because they were rarely permitted to say what was true. They were expected to say what others needed to hear in order to not get hurt and keep the environment safe. You will often doubt your story, because you are so used to not being believed. When you get to the point of being able to speak your own truth, it can still be difficult because it can feel like you still need to prove your words and that the recipient maybe be judging your truth.
Part of integration is holding both sides of the coin, both polarities. Often truama feels black and white, but it isn't a lot of the time. Being able to be curious and open to both waring sides is crucial. Trauma has mixed experiences, the good and the bad. You have to be able to hold the memories of war while holding the memory of you being a loyal friend in that war.
Some of my notes I took as I read:
It's normal to feel waves of grief in the integration phase for someone who's been through repeated truama. Some stages you will feel more than others, and that's ok.
Repeated trauama survivors are not used to being able to say the truth. Because they were rarely permitted to say what was true. They were expected to say what others needed to hear in order to not get hurt and keep the environment safe. You will often doubt your story, because you are so used to not being believed. When you get to the point of being able to speak your own truth, it can still be difficult because it can feel like you still need to prove your words and that the recipient maybe be judging your truth.
Part of integration is holding both sides of the coin, both polarities. Often truama feels black and white, but it isn't a lot of the time. Being able to be curious and open to both waring sides is crucial. Trauma has mixed experiences, the good and the bad. You have to be able to hold the memories of war while holding the memory of you being a loyal friend in that war.
December 4, 2025
Great book on what to expect when going through the process of therapy. Loved her analogies throughout the book.
July 23, 2018
Really important for those in the helping fields and those embarking on their own journeys of healing.
January 21, 2021
An absolute must read for anyone going through trauma therapy. She explains everything so well to help you understand what you will experience as you progress towards healing. It helped me feel like, "ok, this is working." For those who have been through therapy for trauma, you probably understand the rollercoaster of emotions it can be and sometimes you feel like you are in complete darkness with no light at the end of the tunnel. It can make some wonder if it's worth it! I know it did for me at times. But this book helped pull me into the light. It validated everything I was feeling and brought an incredible amount of hope. I will read it again and again as I journey on through this messy yet freeing process of healing. It's a book I will definitely recommended for anyone I know in trauma therapy.
March 14, 2018
Simply Wonderful
One of the best books I have ever read on the phases and recovery from trauma. I found the book really easy to read and it will be of help to those who have encountered trauma and those they seek to allow to guide, support and mentor on their healing journey.
One of the best books I have ever read on the phases and recovery from trauma. I found the book really easy to read and it will be of help to those who have encountered trauma and those they seek to allow to guide, support and mentor on their healing journey.
December 21, 2019
This is a book to help you “cope” with PTSD and understanding what is going on inside of you, your head, your heart, your soul, mind, and guidance on how to live your life in spite of the trauma! There is life after the trauma, one day at a time. Sometimes the biggest steps forward feel as though you are going backwards, back stepping or standing still.... the repeated trauma seems to not ever go completely away, yet in reading this book, I’ve hope! I’m not released from the trauma BUT I do have HOPE!
May 14, 2018
The best book I have read regarding personal growth and understanding of one self mind and reactions. I highly recommend this book to anyone who aspires to deepen their relationship with self and with others.
February 17, 2021
An absolute must read for people who have experienced repeated trauma, especially those who are thinking about or who are currently going through therapy. This book makes you feel understood and heard in a way that is real and extremely hopeful.
December 3, 2019
I really, really liked it and passed the ARC to a psychologist I know. She was really excited. Thank you, Dr. Schmelzer, for writing this.
May 5, 2019
I love her metaphors!
January 1, 2021
This is an incredible book, meant to be used with a therapist as a guide to trauma therapy. No doubt I will be reading this over and over for many years. So helpful.
February 13, 2022
If you've gone through trauma, you may enjoy this book. If you haven't, you may be more annoyed by this book. Very repetitive to my taste.
November 21, 2022
Pure fluff, useless drivel. Droning metaphor after droning metaphor. Lacking any substance, complete waste of time.
August 9, 2023
Dành cho những ai bị tổn thương tinh thần, rối loạn căng thẳng sau sang chấn & những người yêu quý họ ♥️
Được rất nhiều độc giả đánh giá là cuốn sách THỰC TẾ nhất, ĐỒNG CẢM nhất và CHỮA LÀNH nhất với những người đang phải vật lộn với chấn thương tâm lý, Journey Through Trauma như một tấm bản đồ để hướng dẫn họ trong quá trình chữa lành vết thương.
Cuốn sách đưa người đọc đi năm giai đoạn mà mọi bệnh nhân phải đối mặt trên đường trị liệu và cổ vũ họ không bỏ cuộc giữa chừng vì chu kỳ chữa bệnh không phải 1 đường thẳng tuyến tính, vậy nên quay trở lại giai đoạn trước không có nghĩa là thất bại - mà là một sự tiến bộ với những thách thức mới để vượt qua. Cùng với đó là những phân tích giúp họ hiểu được những gì đang diễn ra bên trong trái tim, linh hồn, tâm trí của bản thân và chỉ cho họ cách sống bất chấp những tổn thương này.
Với tư cách là một bác sĩ điều trị và cũng là một nạn nhân của những chấn thương tâm lý, Gretchen Schmelzer hiểu rõ những mặc cảm, lo sợ và dằn vặt luôn ám ảnh nạn nhân của nó. Tuy nhiên, hơn ai hết, bà cũng muốn mọi người đều biết rằng không bao giờ là quá muộn để chữa lành vết thương, dù là tổn thương do bị lạm dụng hay hậu chấn từ chiến tranh, bạo lực.
“Có 3 nguyên tắc cơ bản về điều trị chấn thương tâm lý mọi người nên biết:
🔻 Nó hoàn toàn có thể chữa lành
🔻 Nó đòi hỏi sự dũng cảm
🔻 Và nó không thể được làm 1 mình.”
𝐉𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐲 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐮𝐦𝐚 chính là một NGƯỜI BẠN ĐỒNG HÀNH vô cùng đáng tin cậy cho những ai đang có dấu hiệu:
🔹 Bị ám ảnh bởi hồi ức chấn thương (flashbacks) - tái trải nghiệm lại sự kiện đau thương thông qua các cơn hoảng loạn, ác mộng.
🔹 Tránh né các kích thích liên quan đến sự kiện chấn thương.
🔹 Thay đổi tâm trạng, cảm xúc tiêu cực như sợ hãi, tức giận, trầm cảm.
🔹 Rối loạn giấc ngủ, khó tập trung.
🔹 Cảm giác bị tê liệt, cô lập với người khác.
🔹 Luôn trong trạng thái căng thẳng, giật mình dễ dàng.
Ở Việt Nam, Bookee bán cuốn này giá khá là tốt, bạn tham khảo ở đây nhé: https://bookee.store
Được rất nhiều độc giả đánh giá là cuốn sách THỰC TẾ nhất, ĐỒNG CẢM nhất và CHỮA LÀNH nhất với những người đang phải vật lộn với chấn thương tâm lý, Journey Through Trauma như một tấm bản đồ để hướng dẫn họ trong quá trình chữa lành vết thương.
Cuốn sách đưa người đọc đi năm giai đoạn mà mọi bệnh nhân phải đối mặt trên đường trị liệu và cổ vũ họ không bỏ cuộc giữa chừng vì chu kỳ chữa bệnh không phải 1 đường thẳng tuyến tính, vậy nên quay trở lại giai đoạn trước không có nghĩa là thất bại - mà là một sự tiến bộ với những thách thức mới để vượt qua. Cùng với đó là những phân tích giúp họ hiểu được những gì đang diễn ra bên trong trái tim, linh hồn, tâm trí của bản thân và chỉ cho họ cách sống bất chấp những tổn thương này.
Với tư cách là một bác sĩ điều trị và cũng là một nạn nhân của những chấn thương tâm lý, Gretchen Schmelzer hiểu rõ những mặc cảm, lo sợ và dằn vặt luôn ám ảnh nạn nhân của nó. Tuy nhiên, hơn ai hết, bà cũng muốn mọi người đều biết rằng không bao giờ là quá muộn để chữa lành vết thương, dù là tổn thương do bị lạm dụng hay hậu chấn từ chiến tranh, bạo lực.
“Có 3 nguyên tắc cơ bản về điều trị chấn thương tâm lý mọi người nên biết:
🔻 Nó hoàn toàn có thể chữa lành
🔻 Nó đòi hỏi sự dũng cảm
🔻 Và nó không thể được làm 1 mình.”
𝐉𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐲 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐮𝐦𝐚 chính là một NGƯỜI BẠN ĐỒNG HÀNH vô cùng đáng tin cậy cho những ai đang có dấu hiệu:
🔹 Bị ám ảnh bởi hồi ức chấn thương (flashbacks) - tái trải nghiệm lại sự kiện đau thương thông qua các cơn hoảng loạn, ác mộng.
🔹 Tránh né các kích thích liên quan đến sự kiện chấn thương.
🔹 Thay đổi tâm trạng, cảm xúc tiêu cực như sợ hãi, tức giận, trầm cảm.
🔹 Rối loạn giấc ngủ, khó tập trung.
🔹 Cảm giác bị tê liệt, cô lập với người khác.
🔹 Luôn trong trạng thái căng thẳng, giật mình dễ dàng.
Ở Việt Nam, Bookee bán cuốn này giá khá là tốt, bạn tham khảo ở đây nhé: https://bookee.store
May 31, 2023
All the stars!!! This book is invaluable for anyone setting out on the journey of healing past trauma. The thing is, often when you set out you might not realize that that’s what you’ll be in for, but once you realize this is the path you’re on, I can’t recommend this book enough. It is so gentle and also gives actual guidance I haven’t encountered in any of the many, many other books I’ve read on the topic. It’s written by someone who not only helps others heal from their own complex traumas, but who has done a lot of her own healing work as well. This really serves as a guidebook for what to expect in all of the varied terrain that comes in a journey through healing relational trauma. It serves a specific population and need, and does it so beautifully. This is not a self-help book but a guide for what to expect as one makes this journey alongside a trained professional. The hiking, climbing, and camping metaphors really spoke to me.
November 23, 2022
This book was mentioned in "What My Bones Know," which is why I picked it up. (There are others, this was the first.)
What an incredible book about healing from trauma. The way she puts things into perspective and explains perfectly what it feels like...really helpful. And it felt like I was reading parts as I was going through them.
I'm so proud of myself for putting in the difficult work of healing from trauma, it's incredibly important and gratifying. This book will become one that I have to read again - and that's what it's here for. That's why it took me 4 months to get through a read-through.
What an incredible book about healing from trauma. The way she puts things into perspective and explains perfectly what it feels like...really helpful. And it felt like I was reading parts as I was going through them.
I'm so proud of myself for putting in the difficult work of healing from trauma, it's incredibly important and gratifying. This book will become one that I have to read again - and that's what it's here for. That's why it took me 4 months to get through a read-through.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 67 reviews