“I was made for this moment. [Dr. Hom] would tell me that PTSD is only a mental illness in times of peace. The whole point of PTSD is to prepare you for being on the verge of death at any moment.”

–Stephanie Foo, What My Bones Know: A Memoir of Healing from Complex Trauma

I confess, this memoir was horrible and enlightening at the same time. I started reading the book and then found I couldn’t keep going (trigger warning — if you have cPTSD you may also have issues). So I ended up getting a copy of the Audible version. It took me awhile to listen to the book as some parts were too intense.

Ms. Foo is a vivid storyteller, and in the Audible version, you can hear her family come through in the phrases she uses. I felt like I met many of her family members as she explored her past.

I appreciated the experimentation and review of all things related to healing complex trauma. This is a down to earth, real human approach to healing. Or at least to living a better life.

Notwithstanding the intensity of the abuse described in the book, quite a bit of it was enlightening, especially some of the therapeutic observations and the way cPTSD survivors deal with traumatic situations later in life (like COVID lockdowns, etc.).

I would knock the score down from 5 stars just a bit because the author’s political bias came out a few times. It was expected, considering where she grew up, and not too overwhelming, so I was able to keep reading/listening.

Recommended. Especially if you’re working through cPTSD or if you love someone with the diagnosis or who is likely to have cPTSD, based on their upbringing.

---

---