Little Book of Trauma Healing: When Violence Striked And Community Security Is Threatened

by Carolyn P. Yoder

          Following the staggering events of September 11, 2001, the Center for Justice and Peacebuilding at Eastern Mennonite University was asked to help, along with Church World Service, to equip religious and civil leaders for dealing with traumatized communities. The staff and faculty proposed Strategies for Trauma Awareness and Resilience (STAR) programs. Now, STAR director, Carolyn Yoder, has shaped the strategies and learnings from those experiences into a book for all who have known terrorism and threatened security.           A startlingly helpful approach. A title in The Little Books of Justice and Peacebuilding Series.

Genres: Nonfiction

90 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 1, 2005

Reviews

[Sleepless Dreamer · Rating 4 out of 5]

According to Yoder, many things can be considered trauma so really, this book is also relevant for my healing after the trauma of my economics exam in two days. Review to come!

[Kimberly Barker-Brugman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book. Over the last two years I have read numerous books on trauma, PTSD, and the like. This one was an excellent synopsis of issues like those for the individual but also addressed how do we heal trauma on a national scale. The book dealt with the emotional, physical, intellectual issues as well as the spiritual. I think adding the spiritual really completes the discussion and creates a way for holistic wholeness. If you can only read one book on trauma this year, read this one. It gives a good scenario of how we can heal trauma for the individual,the community and the nations and bring peace to our hearts, homes, and the world. Very important. Chapter six should be sent to every government official from the local dog catcher to the president.

[Casandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.0 stars

I’ve decided I want to become a trauma expert in my craft. This is a development that occurred this week.

The Little Book of Trauma Healing was a great read to start with. It’s short, but packed with powerful ideas and clear explanations about how trauma affects the brain and how it shows up in people’s lives.

What I really liked was that it didn’t just stay focused on individual trauma. It also talked about how we heal trauma on a bigger scale - in communities and even nations. That part really stood out to me because it connects personal healing to something collective and meaningful.

The book also explores how trauma operates in group settings, which I found super interesting. It helped me think about how patterns of harm can repeat themselves socially, not just personally.
One of the most thought-provoking parts for me was the discussion about the narratives we live by - like “good vs. evil” and “the violence that saves us.” It made me reflect on how often we justify harm in the name of safety or justice, and how that keeps us stuck in cycles of trauma.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It’s short but powerful, and it gave me a lot to think about as I continue learning and working toward becoming more trauma-informed in everything I do.

[Ledayne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Trauma impacts every human life and every community so this is an important and helpful read for everyone.

[Jane Uduh · Rating 5 out of 5]

I learned so much about letting go and different type of justice. And why you body react the way it does when you are in danger

[Leona Vann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some good ideas. I found it really hard to read and stay engaged

[Jacob · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting topic, but sporadic and choppy presentation.

[Pedro Limeira · Rating 5 out of 5]

In a really simple way, it brings the most about the physiological implications of trauma and how it contributes for the perpetuation of cycles of violence.

It stuck with me the relationship between narratives "good vs. evil" and "the violence that saves us", and how leaders act to contribute to violence cycles: specially the reminder about an abstract huge threat to our people.

In the way to heal, the need to build the safety needed to express traumas and to follow non-violent responses to the systems/persons involved in our suffering.

[Sherri · Rating 4 out of 5]

I gave this four stars, but honestly I had mixed feelings. The book was well written, and much of it made sense and was well thought out. However, there was one little chunk that lost me here. It basically stated that victims, in order to recover, needed to discover within themselves what they had done in order to cause their aggressor to harm them. I had SERIOUS issues with that. Skip that chapter and it isn't a bad little book

[Shay Gabriel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short, but good discussion of how trauma operates in a group setting. Useful for helping communities overcome & break out of the cycle of trauma. It does not offer a lot of science, if that's what you're looking for — and it's less helpful for dealing with traumatized individuals. Very specific.

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good introduction to the concept of trauma. The book focuses on trauma experience d by communities from war, natural disaster, and genocide. The book tries to lay the groundwork for healing from such events.

[Nancy Babbitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book offers an interesting look at the relationship of past trauma in the cycles of victimhood and violence. Reading it has been a healing experience.