I’m not proud to say this but in my earlier years I was so lost without realizing it and not a great person.
I’ve hurt people I care about deeply and in retrospect made many poor choices that still haunt me. Alcohol and drugs were at play a lot of the time but it’s still not an excuse.
There’s also been good I’ve done and I’m now sober and on the spiritual path with a loving family and many great blessings I don’t feel I deserve as my past actions and deep secrets still eat away at me.
I can’t and won’t share them (even with my therapist) and just want to be able to truly accept and let go so I can move forward without the guilt hanging over my head.
Any books or teachings to guide and help would be beyond appreciated.
by PastChapter3026
6 Comments
*The Body Keeps the Score* by Bessel van der Kolk and *The Myth of Normal* by Gabor Maté might help you. There about trauma and forgiveness and acceptance.
Yes. Peppery_penguin!
Brene Brown writes a lot about shame and how unuseful is as a motivator. Some people like her and some hate her but you might give her a try and see if it resonates.
The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel Van Der Kolk helps with processing trauma and offers some therapy options.
Unlearn Your Pain by Dr Howard Schubiner is intended for addressing chronic pain and/or anxiety but might still be helpful. It also has writing exercises that would likely be very helpful in your case.
Self Esteem by Matthew McKay and Patrick Fanning would also be a good one to check out so you can work on self acceptance, letting go of the past, working with cognitive behavioral therapy and moving forward in life.
Hopefully these suggestions help. You had mentioned that you don’t discuss these things with your therapist. If you don’t mind some advice, it might be a good idea to either find a therapist you’re more comfortable with or to ask your therapist for help on opening up about this stuff. The more you harbor it and ruminate on your own the harder it will be to move forward. Either way it’s good you’re working on things. Take care.
I realize you’re looking for non-fiction self-help type books, but if I may suggest some interesting alternatives?
The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky.
The Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis.
Both are fiction but I think you’d find them beneficial to your healing journey 🫂
What My Bones Know
What Happened to You? Conversations on Trauma, Resilience, and Healing