Book Review: The Transformation: Discovering Wholeness and Healing After Trauma by Dr. James .S. Gordon

the transformation by dr james s gordon
Source: https://jamesgordonmd.com

A few months back I received an ebook and was asked if I would be interested in giving my honest review on it. As soon as I read the book title I knew I had to read it!

This book came my way at the right time because I was looking for a good book on mental/emotional trauma. The subject of trauma has always intrigued me and I wanted to learn more about it. 

After reading this book, I must say I really enjoyed this book! It really does justice to the book title.

THE TRANSFORMATION BOOK REVIEW

I have always believed that trauma is something that we all go through at some point in our lives. Some go through experiences that are way more traumatic than others, but indeed we all face some kind of trauma at least once in our life time. I was glad to see that this was acknowledged in this book because even though it is so common in our society, people usually tend to ignore its existence or consider it rare.

Trauma can leave a strong impression on your entire body (and not just your brain), which over time can take the form of different physical illnesses-- this is something that has been very well discussed in this book.

The Transformation is written in a simple language that even someone who does not understand many scientific technical terms can easily grasp the concepts of the biology of trauma as well as how you can take the first step towards healing. 

Dr. Gordon has described many techniques in this book, like Soft belly breathing, Shaking and Dancing, and Chaotic Breathing, etc, that will help you relax, tackle the triggers and then lead you towards healing. Each technique has been described in a step wise manner, and you can easily follow through the instructions to learn that particular method. The best part is that all of the techniques mentioned in this book are so simple to do that absolutely anyone can do it. I must add, they're quite fun to do as well.

I would, however, say that if you are already quite knowledgeable on the subject of trauma and the many ways one can approach its management then you might be familiar with many of the techniques described in this book. But if you are someone who has no clue regarding where to start  then this is the book where you should get started. I personally was familiar with some of the methods and have been practicing them for quite some time now and I can say that they really do work, despite how simple (or silly) they might seem at first.

This book successfully touched many topics, including the Fight and Flight response, effects of trauma on gut health, the importance of hope, how you can relieve stress, and many more, along with the real-life stories of many people who encountered traumatic experiences and found a relief using the techniques Dr. Gordon has mentioned.

There's a pretty big chapter on diet and mental health, as well as triggers (and how to deal with them), and how all your emotions are important (one of my favorite chapters).

In short, this book teaches you how you can initiate the process of healing yourself without needing much external guidance.


HOW YOU CAN USE THIS BOOK


⦿ I believe this book is not only beneficial to someone who has been through trauma, but the simple practices that have been described in this book can be followed by anyone. These practices can not only help you get out of trauma but also train you to stay calm and deal with stress on a daily basis.

These methods and lifestyle changes will help you maintain your inner peace and help you develop a lifestyle that will promote both your physical and mental health.

I have been practicing a few methods including the soft belly breathing (abdominal breathing) for quite some time now for stress relief, and I can guarantee you that they work (also the reason why I liked this book. All methods are evidence-based).


⦿. If you are someone who is a mild case of depression and anxiety but are not prescribed any medication currently then this book can be the starting point of management of your stress and triggers. 

This will give you an idea of how you can get started, and design a healthier lifestyle for yourself.


⦿ If you are currently on medication then this book will act as a great supplement in healing. Please note that it is never recommended to abandon your medications completely. 

With the methods mentioned in this book along with your medications, you should be able to heal at a faster pace.

I would like to add here that two things you will need to do to get maximum benefit: being patient and being persistent. While you may notice some relief immediately, but for a long-term, significant change, you might have to apply the methods of this book for a long time, persistently. The transformation will happen if you have the determination to get better and the patience to be persistent.



I recommend this book if you are interested in this topic, or if have gone through trauma in the past and currently looking for healing.

A word of advice, if you really want to benefit from this book you might want to read it slowly, take notes and really understand it. Depending on your background and your pre-existing knowledge on the subject, it may not be a very light, casual read for many (though it's easy to understand).


Please let me know how your experience was with this book if you decide to read it. You can leave your comments down below or reach me through social media over here:



the transformation by dr james s gordon



Further Readings:

© Quirky Writes 2020


1 comment

  1. This sounds like such a great book. I haven't heard of it before so thanks for sharing it!

    ReplyDelete

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