See that pic above? I call that basket my "toolbox" and it stays under the coffee table in my living room so that I can run and grab one of my many "tools" any time I need to get centered. In that basket you will find my dream journal, my copy of "The Courage to Heal" and the accompanying workbook, my folder full of trauma work, a spiral notebook for journaling, some memoirs and recovery books, several folders with info from my therapist, and every piece of mail and every note and every card I've ever received from survivors who've shared their stories with me. I've recently added a new tool to this basket and it is something I'm thrilled to be able to share with you today.
A while ago, One in Four - a registered charity in the United Kingdom that is run for and by people who have experience of sexual abuse - provided me with a copy of "The Warrior Within: A One in Four handbook to aid recovery from childhood sexual abuse and violence" by Christiane Sanderson and staff.* One in Four states, "The book is for both female and male survivors of CSA and sexual violence, whether abused by male or female abusers, either within, or outside the family, or in a religious context. It is a portable resource which will support you when you most need it. It is designed to help you pace your recovery and to create a safe, secure base within that allows you to regain trust in yourself. In reconnecting to yourself you will be able to reconnect to others and the world. Together with your warrior within it will help you to triumph over trauma and move from surviving to thriving to feeling truly alive."
I was expecting something wonderful from "The Warrior Within" because I'd been following @WeareOneinFour on Twitter for a while and had seen them share lots of great tweets and information. I'd visited their website and gotten familiar with their organization, but I had no idea how much of a passion I'd develop for this book. Upon digging in and using it for a few months now I can honestly say that this handbook has been the best tool I've ever used in my healing journey. It's now front and center in my toolbox. I personally believe that a copy of this book should be in the hands of every survivor working to overcome abuse and trauma. I also believe "The Warrior Within" would be a great help to family and close friends of survivors who are seeking ways to support their loved ones as they heal.
First of all, the size of the book does make it very practical for toting around. As a matter of fact I carried it in my purse for quite some time during a recent challenging phase in my journey. As you can see, it's held up nicely!
My favorite thing about "The Warrior Within" (other than the brilliant way it manages to address both men and women without making a mess of the content) is that its ease of use is almost too good to be true. The first thing I noticed when I got the book was this great system of icons used throughout the text:
The icons are there to help the reader use the handbook in the way that best suits them. There is no right or wrong way to use this book. When I use this handbook I do lot of flipping through and grabbing the exercises and activities that best suit the issues I'm dealing with.
The book is divided into three parts, each focusing on a different aspect of the healing journey. Understanding CSA, identifying how to manage your reactions to trauma, and maintaining self-care are just some of the topics that are covered.
The format of the handbook makes it easy to move at your own pace, which is essential to healing and overcoming traumatic experiences.
If you're able, I would love for you to GET YOUR HANDS ON THIS HANDBOOK! The book is published in the UK and the cost (as of the date of this blog post) is £6.99 (which amounts to about $11.00 US at the current rate of exchange). There's a small fee for shipping and handling and an additional cost for shipping orders abroad. Please contact admin@oneinfour.org.uk with any questions you may have about ordering the book.
Until next time, may you be blessed - and inspired to pass it on!
*I would like to thank One in Four for the giving me the opportunity to review this book, which was provided to me unsolicited and at no charge. View my disclaimer and review policy by clicking here.
