I received a gifted copy of WHAT MY BONES KNOW: A MEMOIR OF HEALING FROM COMPLEX TRAUMA by Stephanie Foo from Ballantine Books / Random House for an honest review.
Rating: 5 / 5
WHAT MY BONES KNOW is the author’s memoir about her path to healing following her diagnosis of Complex PTSD which stems from a history of abuse and abandonment from both of her parents. She starts the book with a warning that this book may be triggering for those with similar backstories, but she promises a happy ending. She does also address her privilege in having access to treatment when our healthcare system really doesn’t provide for this. She also discusses the impact of being part of an immigrant family and a woman of color in today’s world.
Complex PTSD is a different diagnosis to “normal” PTSD, but not one that is widely recognized and has been considered too close to be counted as a separate diagnosis in many circles. As such it is not a diagnosis with a lot of available literature or doctors and therapists well trained in the peculiarities of this diagnosis. This memoir goes through a lot of ups and downs as she obtained her diagnosis and went through a lot of attempts to find a way to work through her trauma in a beneficial way.
I think the author did a fantastic job of exploring her past and the trauma that was hard to read about and exponentially harder for her to have to relive, but as she promised there is a happy ending. She does find a therapist willing to work with her in a way that works for her. I wound up listening to this one on audio and she incorporates some of the recorded sessions into the book to show how this approach worked for her which was very interesting to hear.
As someone who is drawn to mental health as a topic, I found this to be a very fascinating read. It was written in a very approachable manner and I can see why this came up as my Bookoplathon book for the highest rated on my owned TBR!
DG Reads 