Michael: The inspiration for this book was simple: I experienced
trauma during my childhood and recovered from it with EMDR
therapy, so I wanted to speak to people who might also be trauma
survivors, to let them know that there’s hope for healing in their
lives, too. I also wanted to give them a guide for how to get there.
Most important, I wanted people to understand that trauma is a
part of life—it need not carry stigma or be a source of shame.
As I experienced the various phases of treatment, I developed a
conceptual understanding of what trauma is and why it sometimes
gets locked in our brains but outside our day-to-day awareness.
I came to recognize the symptoms and red flags associated with
trauma, the survival strategies we develop to cope with pain, and
much more. I also developed firsthand knowledge of what EMDR
therapy is—and how it can be used to help us heal.
Each chapter of this book has been written to communicate
various concepts as I came to understand them during my own
recovery. We have shared them in two ways: in an immediate and
visual way, through photographs—because people are far more
likely to understand and remember a concept when text is combined with images—and through my own narrative. In addition,
I’ve had the honor of collaborating with Dr. Deborah Korn, a leading trauma expert, who describes the core concepts of trauma and
EMDR therapy in a clear and nonclinical voice.
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I hope this book will inspire other trauma survivors to seek
relief through therapy like I did, so they, too, can find a path to their
authentic selves and live the lives they deserve.
Our memories—even fragments of memories—are clues. Like
a trail of breadcrumbs. They might be incomplete or confusing at
first. But if we have the courage to face the ones that scare us the
most, they can lead to discoveries that will free us.
Our memories are the caretakers of truth in our lives.
And every memory deserves respect.