Resources for healing trauma

BOOK: Break The Cycle

BOOK: The Body Keeps The Score

Dr. Mariel Buque's work is centered on helping Black, Indigenous, and all other People of Color (BIPOC) heal from intergenerational trauma. Trauma is no respecter of persons; however, generational trauma for people of color brings forth a unique approach to healing the souls of those identifying as BIPOC. Dr. Buque defines intergenerational trauma as being "emotional distress being handed down from generation to generation."

BOOK: The Body Keeps The Score

Dr. Bessel Van Der Kolk, M.D. provides informative knowledge about how traumatic experiences impact the body. He believes that "for real change to take place, the body needs to know that the danger has passed and to live in the reality of the present." Trauma can store itself in the body, contributing to mental (depression, anxiety, panic, PTSD, etc.) and physical illnesses (cancer, chronic pain, autoimmune disorders, and more). Read with caution, as this book contains real-life stories that can trigger some. I recommend working with a licensed psychotherapist while engaging in this intense trauma work.

BOOK: My Grandmother's Hands

Resmaa Menakem, LICSW, SEP, offers the world a glimpse into his grandmother's story and the physical pain she experienced after years of picking cotton. In this book, Menakem hones in on racialized trauma and its mental and physical impacts on people of color. He believes that "racism is not about the head; it's about the body." With an emphasis on breaking the racial divide, Manakem succeeds at providing his readers with heavily researched and evidence-based data to aid in the healing of historical and present-day racialized traumas.