Recommended Book List

From Shame to Peace: Counselling and caring for the sexually abused by Teo Van der Weele

The book we use in our studies in Denmark, written by the co-founder. A unique perspective on the effects and culture of sexual abuse and how God’s peace can heal it. Profound. 

 

Door of Hope: Recognizing and Resolving the Pains of Your Past by Jan Frank

A great introduction to the process of healing from trauma, not just for sexual abuse from a Christian perspective.

 

The Wounded Heart: Hope for Adult Victims of Childhood Sexual Abuse by Dan B Allender Ph.D.   An excellent overview from a Christian perspective with very good insight.

 

The Life Model: Living from the Heart Jesus Gave You, The Essentials of Christian Living

by James G. Friesen (Author), E. James Wilder (Author), Anne M. Bierling (Author), Rick Koepcke (Author), Maribeth Poole (Author)

These authors spent 10 years studying all the models Christian and non-Christian, to see what was working the best for traumatized people, this is the model they developed as a result.

 

The Courage to Heal: A Guide for Women Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse 20th Anniversary Edition by Ellen Bass and Laura Davis

-Excellent for many different kinds of stories written by sexual abuse survivors, contains some sexually graphic material, written from a secular perspective. Advice for healing is not necessarily endorsed. There is a mini-version of this book called:  Beginning to Heal: A First Book for Men and Women Who Were Sexually Abused As Children by Ellen Bass (Author), Laura Davis (Author)

 

The Body Remembers: The Psychophysiology of Trauma and Trauma Treatment

by Babette Rothschild M.S.W LCSW

This books give a lot of excellent insight into body memories and recovering from them.

 

Facing Shame: Families in Recovery by Merle A. Fossum, Marilyn J. Mason

An excellent resource to help understand shame and family dynamics.

 

Children of Trauma: Rediscovering Your Discarded Self by Jane Middelton-Moz

Gives information on child development and how trauma effects it, very helpful to understand what different circumstances can be traumatizing.

 

Recovery from Distorted Images of God (Life Recovery Guides) by Dale Ryan (Author), Juanita Ryan (Author)  There are also guides on: Workaholism, Co-Dependency, Shame, Loss

 

Meeting Amazing Grace by Gary Lundberg (Author), Joy Lundberg

Gives lots of good practical examples for how to make relationships healthy, written in a prose style. The way sexual abuse is handled is not necessarily endorsed.