The phrase “forgive and forget” is a common slogan and recommendation. But does it make sense for trauma survivors? While researching for my book, You Don’t Need to Forgive: Trauma Recovery on Your Own Terms, I discovered that many trauma survivors, including myself, have been encouraged to forgive their offenders and to forget their offenses. […] The post Why “Forgive and Forget” is Bad Advice for Trauma Survivors appeared first on Amanda Ann Gregory ..read more

Are you a complex trauma survivor? If so, have you considered attending a support group? I didn’t until I researched effective trauma recovery methods for my book, You Don’t Need to Forgive: Trauma Recovery on Your Own Terms, and found support groups to be effective. Disclaimer: None of the groups on this list are therapy […] The post 6 Support Groups for Complex Trauma Survivors appeared first on Amanda Ann Gregory ..read more

Forgiveness is not required for your well-being. It’s always optional. Have you heard these phrases? Forgiveness will set you free. You only hurt yourself when you don’t forgive. You need to forgive if you want to move on. Chances are, you’ve heard these phrases many times. In my research for my book, You Don’t Need to […] The post You Don’t Need to Forgive appeared first on Amanda Ann Gregory ..read more

“I can’t forgive him. I’ve tried for years, but I just can’t,” said Craig, referring to his father, who neglected him throughout his childhood. “I know it’s because I’m a bad person. Good people forgive, and bad  people don’t.” Craig struggled with deep-seated shame stemming from child abuse. His father’s lack of attention, love, and […] The post How Shame Obstructs Forgiveness in Trauma Recovery appeared first on Amanda Ann Gregory ..read more

“How ironic that it was the act of not forgiving that finally freed me to forgive,” writes Nancy Richards a survivor of child abuse, who eventually forgave her mother.[i] While researching for my book, You Don’t Need to Forgive, I discovered that there are many reasons why people struggle to forgive their offenders. One of […] The post Can’t Forgive? Try Embracing Unforgiveness    appeared first on Amanda Ann Gregory ..read more

If you loved The Body Keeps the Score, give these recent (2024-2025) books on complex trauma and CPTSD a try.   Kaytlyn Gillis, LCSW Do you blame yourself for being abandoned or neglected as a child, or suffer from poor self-esteem, anxiety, or depression as a result? Do you have deep feelings of shame, defectiveness, […] The post Beyond The Body Keeps the Score: Recent Books on Complex Trauma appeared first on Amanda Ann Gregory ..read more

Need new ideas to recover from complex trauma? Try these 4 methods. The post 4 Innovative Therapies to Address Complex Trauma appeared first on Amanda Ann Gregory ..read more

Forgiveness is not required for your well-being. It’s always optional. Have you heard these phrases? Forgiveness will set you free. You only hurt yourself when you don’t forgive. You need to forgive if you want to move on. Chances are, you’ve heard these phrases many times. In my research for my book, You Don’t Need to […] The post You Don’t “Need” to Forgive appeared first on Amanda Ann Gregory ..read more

Anger isn’t a villain, and forgiveness isn’t a hero. Anger and forgiveness are often pitted against each other as archrivals. In my research for my book, You Don’t Need to Forgive: Trauma Recovery on Your Own Terms, I discovered that in this contest, forgiveness is cast as the hero, while anger is cast as the villain. However, this […] The post Why Anger and Forgiveness Aren’t Enemies appeared first on Amanda Ann Gregory ..read more

You can forgive without reconciling, and you can reconcile without forgiving. While researching and writing my book, You Don’t Need to Forgive: Trauma Recovery on Your Own Terms, I discovered a common misconception: Many people incorrectly believe that forgiveness is synonymous with or requires reconciliation. I’ve seen this misunderstanding occur in family and couples therapy when […] The post Mistaking Forgiveness for Reconciliation Can Be Dangerous appeared first on Amanda Ann Gregory ..read more