Research & Literature

The ‘me too.’ Movement presents this collection of resources as one of the many places you can start your healing journey. Whether you find a memoir that lets you go inside the mind of an actual survivor through their first-person account of harm and healing, or you want to read up on statistics and research that can propel your own healing or activism, this ever-expanding library is for you.

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Women of Color Talk: Psychological Narratives on Trauma and Depression

Angela Roman Clack, PsyD, LPC, Clack Associates, LLC, 2018, Non-fiction

Women of Color Talk: Psychological Narratives on Trauma and Depression “”gives voice to women globally about the epidemic of depression and trauma women of color suffer.”” This book unveils the truth and brings awareness to the impact of depression and trauma on Black women. It addresses the disparities between the way White women are treated, as opposed to women of color, in cases of mental illness. Dr. Clack shares case histories of the actual experiences of people struggling to survive traumatic change.

Dr. Clack highlights the fact that, because of negative racial and gender stereotypes, the world is not sensitive to the needs of Black women in treatment, and there’s a stigma in the Black community that “”you’re crazy”” if you need therapy. This book provides a sound, straightforward method for recovering from cataclysmic setbacks and demonstrates how life’s traumas can be turned into forces for positive change. It is a guide that demonstrates how to come out on top when the world is turning upside down. Dr. Clack paints a poignant picture of depression as a health problem. Seeking help is not a sign of weakness, but a sign of wisdom.

This book provides a wide array of source material from which to draw and would be very helpful to anyone attempting to cope with depression and anxiety. It would be a great tool for therapists and clinicians who are not in tune with the social, economic, systemic and cultural factors of the Black experience.

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Yesterday’s Tomorrow

Danielle Seck, D. Smith Enterprises, Fiction

The quote that appears fairly early in the story personifies the journey of this book completely: “It started out small, but before you knew it, the entire windshield had cracked.” The reader is drawn in by the cover depicting an older adult against the backdrop of the inner child, in shadow. This imagery is profound. And the author follows through with the jacket design’s promise by going on to paint vivid pictures with her words.

The main character, Alyx, is feeling a myriad of emotions—sometimes dread, other times happiness. Early chapters describe young Alyx’s abuse at the hands of her mother’s boyfriend, Tony, and the neglect by her mom. This begins a powerful journey into how she chooses to overcome. The author writes with such authenticity and fury, her readers may find themselves physically bracing for the pain that often descended upon Alyx.

Later chapters reveal Alyx in womanhood and we are able to share in her joys, disappointments, love and growth. The author succeeds in fleshing out of all her characters, and seems to be committed to accurately depicting the setting and time period. Several musical and cultural references to the 1980s and early 2000s provide a relatable backdrop to the story. The writer is a story-weaver; precise and compelling. The book has momentum and will keep readers riveted in anticipation, and invested in Alyx’s outcome. For readers looking for “faith in the storms of life” narratives, this book is recommended.

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You Survived…Now What?: A Road Map to Reclaiming Life

Elizabeth Williams, LSW, Professional Woman Publishing, 2012, Self-help

In You Survived…Now What?: A Roadmap to Reclaiming Life, author Elizabeth Williams, LSW, posits that one cannot heal in secret, and must learn to manage the symptoms left by trauma, as the symptoms never fully disappear.

In the opening chapter, Williams disarms early resistance from readers by defining healthy responses to trauma (proactive) and unhealthy responses (reactive, passive).

Williams also compellingly uses her experiences to guide the reader about residual trauma that comes with healing from primary trauma. Raped by her favorite high school teacher, and watching local broadcasters spin her situation into a story about a delusional, love-struck teenager, she uses her years-long reactive coping strategies to illustrate how to move from reactive and proactive coping mechanisms.

This book was a pleasant read for several reasons. First, Williams acknowledges that healing is difficult, partly because our society is not conducive to healing; the goal is survival. Second, her earnest desires are to lead readers into strategic healing.

One weak spot in her discourse was regarding forgiveness. Like other wounded healers, Williams resorts to trite comments about forgiving the offender for one’s personal well-being. Unfortunately, her strategies for coping with offenders is stronger than her argument on forgiving them.

I highly recommend this book as a general guide and thoughtful overview of what healing from trauma entails. Williams admits how “sometimes surviving doesn’t feel so good.” But she thoughtfully models and gently directs readers to better coping strategies.

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