Trauma-Sensitive Mindfulness: Practices for Safe and Transformative Healing

I feel compelled to write a review of this magnificent book. I practically highlighted the entire book (YES I read it- cover to cover). I do not know the author (wish I did), nor am I being paid or in any way “encouraged” to write a review. I did read other reviews on Amazon and asked myself whether some of these people could have possibly read the same book I did! I appreciated, and resonated with so much with, what this author wrote. I am hoping to somehow imprint in my mind and heart his skillful expression of concepts, I have a level of experiential understanding of, and only wish I could verbalize the way this author was able to do. I have picked up many books over the years on the subject of trauma, and rarely do I get beyond the first few chapters - generally lots of theory, and little in the way of "practical" strategies/approaches in how to integrate the material to alleviate suffering in my life or the lives of others.This book, in my opinion, is loaded with easy to digest and understand "how to" information and the right amount of contextual theory (brilliantly merging the many new age "gurus" on the subject such as Ogden, Levine, Porges, van der Kolk etc). The numerous “real life” examples where trauma sensitivity was, or was not, applied were very impactful.The author’s understanding of trauma felt enormously validating where it concerns my own experiences of trauma. Validation is not something I have experienced often! I also believe I am, after reading this book, much better equipped and informed as I move forward "in service" offering mindfulness and self-compassion based trauma programs. I am also now much more aware of where I need to continue to open my heart and awareness.After reading this book I am aware that I MUST be more sensitive to the social context and "take action to a more just, compassionate future". The dynamics that relate to privilege, oppression and harm (described in detail in this book), I now know absolutely need to be considered and understood for me to truly be of service. I am a privileged white middle class straight female who truly has no idea what it would be like to live in the body, or from the lens, of the a community member of First Nation’s origin living on “shared” land (we stole from them) for example. I am also aware now, more than ever after reading this book, that I have lived my life feeling with a unique trauma lens where I have felt that I was in a world where I did not belong, was not understood and where I was unsafe.I am a survivor (and now mostly “thrivor”) after layers of trauma that started in my early childhood. For the majority of my life I had no connection with my body and had no interest in wanting to inhabit it. Numerous mental health diagnosis and so called "care" professionals - using the analogy that this author describes in this book - focusing on hosing down the smoke (symptoms) without even any awareness of or curiosity about the fire (trauma). Eat more bran I was told when I suffered from debilitating (traumatic stress related) constipation for example! Take a pill - it will help you feel better... In fact, in the dozens of medical professionals I have seen over the year (including many Psychiatrists), have not even asked about my trauma history! The author speaks of "retraumatization" that can occur. Pounding on pillows in an "anger release" program where I ended up with both a neck injury and months of nightmares I couldn't process is just one of MANY examples of "therapeutic interventions" lacking in trauma sensitivity!! As this author points out, cathartic releases are not necessarily trauma integrations!For the past 10 years I have been immersed in mindfulness practice under the guidance of a skilled - more importantly - present teacher who I trust, embodies the practice and with whom I feel safe when he teachers. The practices (and therapeutic relationship with my teacher) have, using the authors words) helped me "increase my capacity to be with a range of experience - be it joy, love, or traumatic stress...as I (we) strengthen our ability to be with pain, we can also welcome more pleasure and peace".I have also come across many "Mc Mindfulness" teachers who are "jumping on the bandwagon" to what many are seeing as a new "cure all". Thank you for pointing out that 'trauma-sensitive mindfulness is not something we can pick up at a week-end workshop and then add to the list of our offerings". And YES, it is time that we start talking about where the mindfulness teachings came from. There is such a danger of taking what the yogi’s learned after years and years of dedicated practice, and teachings passed on from teacher to teacher, out of context. In the west we seem to want the “quick fix” (ideally in the form of a pill) for everything that ails us. Mindfulness is not that new quick fix. It seems that we also want to neatly package the teachings into a program anyone can easily sell and teach ignoring the role that the teacher plays.What I would have liked to see more of in this book is talking about the importance of developing “heart coherence” in those working with individuals with traumatic stress. The HeartMath Institute has done extensive research that shows that if what we are vibrating from the electromagnetic field of our heart is not coherent (which also reflects a deregulated nervous system) we can negatively affect the coherence of those we are with. I believe strongly that a mindfulness teacher/therapist/coach that lacks heart coherence can actually do harm when working with someone with trauma.Quoting the Dalai Lama: “Our prime purpose in this life is to help others. And if you can’t help them, at least don’t hurt them.”There is no doubt in my mind after reading this book that this author walks his talk – a true and experiences mindfulness practitioner AND skilled, trauma-sensitive psychotherapist. I am deeply grateful for David Treleaven’s important and inspiring contribution to the potential for transformative healing for trauma survivors through mindfulness practice or any practice. I believe this should be mandatory “trauma-sensitivity” training reading for anyone involved in trauma work from any modality (not just Mindfulness). The fact that 60% of the proceeds of the sale of his book is going to trauma-sensitive organizations tells me an awful lot about this man’s heart.

Esta bueno y con mucha info pero es más para Clinicos que para personas buscando remedios prácticos para trabajar la resiliencia. Se enfoca mucho en lo negativo

I've taken three mindfulness programs and trauma-sensitive mindfulness was not included in any of the training. I cannot imagine teaching mindfulness and meditation without reading this valuable book. It is a must-read for all mindfulness and meditation teachers. I appreciated the detailed explanations of trauma, and how we can be proactive in setting up different anchors and providing choices. The sections on social contexts are relevant and key to intentionally participating in a more just and compassionate future for all.

This book is an exceptionally readable exploration of how to teach and practice mindfulness in a trauma-informed/sensitive way (and warnings about how NOT to). There are clearly outlined skills that are introduced, as well as clinical anecdotes woven throughout that are really engaging. An excellent and timely work, and a vital addition to the library of any therapist and mindfulness teacher. It is incredibly interesting and easy to read.

I highly recommend this book. I'm interested in meditation, but didn't know about some of the potential hazards for trauma survivors. The book was informative and taught me a lot. If you're interested in learning more about meditation and how it interfaces with trauma, the book is a great choice.