This book provides an outstanding overview of trauma, its nature, and the pathways to healing. It leans heavily on the psychodynamic perspective, but for those who love the search for insight and a path forward, this book will keep you engaged and thinking deeply about our past, present, and future. Among the best things about reading books written by the School of Life are the powerful metaphors and examples. This book does not disappoint.

From Trauma to Healing by The School of Life is worth the read! It is hands down the best "self help" books that I have read!

The book is broken into five sections: causes of trauma, symptoms of trauma, relocating trauma, processing trauma and the conclusion.

The book begins with the psychological look as to why trauma happens, and what it is defined as. It then goes on to explore the many symptoms of trauma. It lists and explores: disassociation, catastrophic thinking, shame, suicide, perfectionism, conflict aversion, masochism, paranoia, chronic anxiety, hyper vigilance, intrusive thoughts, unrequited relationships, cynicism, people-pleasing, addiction, bodily symptoms, a feeling of ugliness, insomnia, fame seeking and over achieving.

The book then takes you through some writing/thinking exercises that are designed to help you process and move through trauma at your own pace on your path to healing. It also gives you helpful things to pause and think about when something triggers unpleasant memories.

Thank you to The School for life for working with NetGalley. I received an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion and review.

This book comes out in stores June 5th

This book is a thoughtful and compassionate guide to understanding and recovering from psychological wounds. It effectively balances psychological theory with practical advice, presenting complex concepts in a clear and accessible way without feeling overwhelming.

One of its strengths is the gentle, non-judgemental tone, which acknowledges the challenges of processing trauma while offering insightful reflections and practical steps to support the healing journey. Rather than promoting a one-size-fits-all approach, it encourages self-awareness and self-compassion.

While the book provides a solid foundation, its broad approach may not delve deeply enough for those seeking more specialised guidance on complex or specific traumas.

Definitely worth a read!

From Trauma to Healing is an essential guide for anyone navigating the complexities of emotional pain. With wisdom, clarity, and a deep understanding of the human psyche, The School of Life unpacks the hidden wounds we carry and provides a compassionate roadmap for transformation. This book doesn’t just explain trauma—it offers a way forward, helping readers untangle the past, reclaim their emotions, and build a life rooted in self-awareness and resilience. A must-read for anyone seeking true healing and a deeper understanding of themselves.

From Trauma to Healing is pocket book length compact healing book that tackles trauma with several engaging exercises and frameworks.
It has a diverse range of approaches, and as common in the TSoL books, the essay-like paragraphs are lovely to read.

Such a beautiful gift! This provided a compassionate and insightful approach to understanding and working through traumas in life, The exercises and prompts were especially helpful, guiding me to explore how past experiences still affect me and showing practical steps toward "relocating" trauma and toward healing. It’s a hopeful and empowering reminder that we can process our pain and move toward brighter days ahead.