This is a pretty intense book.  Catherine Gildiner is a (now retired) psychotherapist from Canada.  She has treated thousands of patients over the years, but five of them stand out in particular.  These are patients who have suffered terrible, horrific childhood trauma, both psychological and physical, and manage to survive and overcome it through the use of varying coping mechanisms.  Working with Dr. Gildiner, these people learn to conquer their demons and live relatively normal lives afterward.  Each case was very different, and each was totally gripping.  Although I tend to no longer be shocked by man’s inhumanity to man, I have to say, these stories are difficult to read, as the tales of psychological and sexual abuse and abandonment were truly monstrous.  I appreciate that the author gives us information on how these patients were doing years (sometimes decades) after she treated them.  After reading this book, you come away with a new understanding of just how resilient the human mind can be.

“Good Morning, Monster: Five Heroic Journeys to Emotional Recovery” by Catherine Gildiner

Buy