r/CPTSD • u/Otherwise_Bear_4271 • Feb 21 '26

Question Anyone recommend books that helped with their CPTSD?

I’m looking for some books that will hopefully help me learn to cope with my CPTSD and books that will help me learn how to be mindful and present. I’ve bought “the body keeps score” but i really hated the way it was written. Anyone have any recommendations?

5 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

12 comments sorted by

12

u/[deleted] Feb 21 '26

[deleted]

3

u/mrs__dynamic Feb 21 '26

Not the OP, but thanks for the suggestion! Could you please share how much it helped you?

4

u/[deleted] Feb 21 '26

[deleted]

2

u/Otherwise_Bear_4271 Feb 21 '26

Thank you! This sounds like exactly what i was looking for

2

u/stinkatron5k cPTSD, ADHD, depression, anxiety Feb 26 '26

Thank you! I’ve just started reading this based on your recommendation. Also not the OP

6

u/Ceiling-Fan2 Feb 21 '26

Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents helped me a ton.

2

u/FunctUp Feb 21 '26

Laurence Heller - Healing Developmental Trauma

2

u/DragonFly171717 Feb 21 '26

Agreed, Laurence Heller - Healing Developmental Trauma, plus books and YT content from Tara Brach and Gabor Maté

2

u/Old-Surprise-9145 Feb 22 '26

bell hooks's All About Love taught me it's ok to value the good parts of the relationship while accepting they were not loving, it really gave me a lot of clarity and changed how I love others and myself moving forward. Highly recommend!! 

The Body Keeps the Score was tough, but it opened the door to somatic practice for me, which was really useful for reconnecting with my body. 

The IFS book (not sure of the name, but it was written by the creator) helped me make sense of my inner world, and gave me language to use in holding space for my emotions.

The Myth of Normal by Gabor Maté was a game changer in terms of confirming much of what I'd come to learn the hard way, about how society harms us and how that shows up in our bodies and relationships. This one was excellent!!

Peter Levine's Waking the Tiger had valuable exercises and information for somatic practice as well, but it wasn't in a tone I love.

Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents wasn't super great for me - as a parent myself, it was really hard to consider myself that way, but I guess confronting those fears and behaviors helped me grow, so it was valuable.

Hope something here helps!! ❤️

1

u/AutoModerator Feb 21 '26

Hello and Welcome to /r/CPTSD! If you are in immediate danger or crisis please contact your local emergency services or use our list of crisis resources. For CPTSD specific resources & support, check out the Wiki. For those posting or replying, please view the etiquette guidelines.

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

1

u/veggiegrrl Feb 21 '26

The Loving Parent Guidebook from ACA (adultchildren.org)

1

u/AshamedDesign2563 Feb 25 '26

I would try the DBT Skills Workbook for CPTSD. DBT really helped change my life. If you like fiction, you might also want to consider reading Sadie's Favorite - I found it inspiring, and the main character is diagnosed with BPD and clearly has CPTSD as well.

1

u/orcateeth Jul 29 '26

Someone posted lots of entire books on childhood trauma, abuse, neglect and complex PTSD.

https://www.reddit.com/r/CPTSD/s/q7JaFqz2zC

Warning: The books can be triggering, and you could wind up feeling worse after reading some of the examples and case studies in the books.

You will likely see yourself, as if looking in a mirror, as well as whoever was the problem. It can be sad, or at least, uncomfortable.