Understanding PTSD: 8 Life-Changing Books That Will Help You Heal and Grow

Affiliate Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase through these links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products I truly love and use myself! Check out the Disclaimer here.

---

Hey there, love. If you’re here, it means you’re either trying to understand PTSD for yourself or someone you care about. And let me tell you—you’re already doing something powerful just by being here. PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) isn’t just something that happens to soldiers or people who’ve been through extreme events. Trauma can stem from childhood experiences, toxic relationships, generational wounds, or even chronic stress.

The good news? There are brilliant minds who’ve dedicated their work to helping us understand how trauma impacts us and, more importantly, how we can heal. Whether you're just beginning your journey into trauma awareness or you’re deep in the healing process, these books are must-reads. Grab a cozy blanket and let’s dive in.

1. The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk

Check It Out

If there’s one book I’d tell everyone to read about trauma, it’s this one. Dr. Bessel van der Kolk is a psychiatrist and researcher who has spent decades studying how trauma literally changes the brain and body.

This book explains how traumatic experiences don’t just live in our memories—they live in our nervous systems, our posture, our digestion, and even our immune systems. He walks us through the science behind PTSD and introduces alternative ways to heal beyond just talk therapy. We’re talking yoga, EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), neurofeedback, and even theater.

What makes this book so impactful is that it’s not just clinical; it’s full of real-life case studies, which make it all the more relatable. It’s a dense read, but if you want to truly understand trauma on a physiological level, The Body Keeps the Score is your book.

2. Complex PTSD: From Surviving to Thriving by Pete Walker

Check It Out

If you’ve ever heard of Complex PTSD (C-PTSD) and thought, wait, how is that different from regular PTSD?, this book will clear things up. C-PTSD comes from prolonged exposure to trauma, like childhood neglect, abuse, or toxic relationships that erode your sense of safety over time.

Pete Walker, a therapist who has lived through C-PTSD himself, explains how people who’ve endured ongoing trauma often develop deep-seated shame, people-pleasing tendencies, and emotional flashbacks (aka those sudden, overwhelming emotional responses that make no logical sense in the moment).

This book gives you tools to identify these trauma responses and work towards healing. Walker’s approach is gentle yet validating—it’s like sitting with a therapist who actually gets it.

3. What Happened to You? Conversations on Trauma, Resilience, and Healing by Bruce D. Perry & Oprah Winfrey

Check It Out

If you’re looking for a more conversational, digestible read, What Happened to You? is an incredible place to start. This book is structured as a back-and-forth dialogue between Oprah and Dr. Bruce Perry, a neuroscientist who studies childhood trauma.

Instead of asking what’s wrong with me?, this book encourages you to ask what happened to me?—shifting the focus from blame to understanding. They dive into how childhood experiences shape our nervous system and emotional responses as adults, and they offer hopeful, practical ways to move forward.

What makes this book unique is its warmth—Oprah shares her own experiences, and Dr. Perry translates neuroscience in a way that feels so easy to grasp. If you’ve struggled with feeling “stuck” in old patterns, this book will help you see why.

4. It Didn’t Start With You by Mark Wolynn

Check It Out

Ever feel like you’re carrying emotional baggage that isn’t even yours? Like you’re weighed down by fears, anxieties, or traumas that don’t quite make sense? That’s where It Didn’t Start With You comes in.

Mark Wolynn dives into the concept of inherited trauma—how trauma and emotional wounds can be passed down through generations, affecting us even if we never personally experienced the original event. He backs this up with research on epigenetics (how our genes can be influenced by experiences) and offers exercises to uncover hidden emotional wounds that might be shaping your life.

This book is fascinating and deeply validating, especially if you’ve ever felt like you’re repeating family patterns without fully understanding why.

5. What My Bones Know by Stephanie Foo

Check It Out

If you love memoirs that hit you right in the heart, What My Bones Know is a must-read. Stephanie Foo, a former journalist for This American Life, shares her deeply personal journey of living with Complex PTSD.

Her story covers the impact of growing up with abusive parents, how trauma shaped her relationships and career, and her relentless quest for healing. Unlike some self-help books, this one doesn’t just tell you what to do—it shows you what it’s like to live with PTSD and still find a way forward.

Foo’s writing is raw, vulnerable, and full of hope. If you’ve ever felt like no one else could possibly understand what you’re going through, this book will make you feel seen.

6. The Myth of Normal by Gabor Maté

Check It Out

Gabor Maté is one of the leading voices in trauma research, and The Myth of Normal takes a big-picture approach. He argues that trauma isn’t just an individual experience—it’s embedded in the very fabric of our modern society.

From the pressures of capitalism to the rise of chronic stress and autoimmune diseases, Maté explores how everyone is impacted by trauma, whether they recognize it or not. He challenges the idea that suffering is just “part of life” and pushes for a more compassionate, trauma-informed world.

This book will make you rethink everything you thought you knew about “normal” life—and that’s a good thing.

7. In an Unspoken Voice by Peter A. Levine

Check It Out

If you’ve ever felt like you’re constantly in fight-or-flight mode, In an Unspoken Voice is the book for you. Dr. Peter Levine is the founder of Somatic Experiencing, a therapy focused on how the body processes trauma.

This book explores how animals in the wild shake off traumatic experiences, while humans tend to store them in their bodies. Levine offers insights into how we can gently release trauma through movement, breathwork, and body awareness.

It’s a bit more science-heavy, but if you’re curious about body-based healing, this book is a game-changer.

8. No Bad Parts by Richard C. Schwartz

Check It Out

Ever feel like you have different parts of yourself fighting for control? Maybe one part of you wants to heal, while another part self-sabotages? That’s what No Bad Parts is all about.

Richard Schwartz is the creator of Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy, which sees the mind as made up of different “parts.” Some parts protect us, others hold our pain, and some cause trouble—but none of them are inherently bad. This book teaches you how to befriend all these parts and create inner harmony.

If you struggle with self-judgment or feel “fragmented,” this book will help you understand why—and how to heal.

Final Thoughts

Trauma is complex, and healing isn’t linear—but knowledge is power. Whether you’re on your own healing journey or trying to support a loved one, these books will help you understand PTSD from every angle.

So, which one speaks to you? Let me know in the comments, and remember: You are not alone in this.