Trauma and Memory: Brain and Body in a Search for the Living Past: A Practical Guide for Understanding and Working with Traumatic Memory

Good points to think about and discuss

As a survivor of severe trauma I cried my way through the first part of this book, as the way I experience life somehow felt so validated. Peter obviously truly understands the territory and helped me to understand my own reactions and memory challenges better. I would recommend this book to anybody working with trauma survivors and trauma survivors themselves. There is so much misinformation around out there with regard to memory processes, and Peter has written a really clear explanation of the different types of memory and the issues around whether or not they are reliable. This book also has a very clear explanation of how to use the SIBAM model and pendulation to help someone to complete thwarted survival and orienting responses from the past, and even just on a first quick read has better empowered me to be with the sensations in my body. Thank you Peter, for being the pioneer you are and for bringing what you have learnt so clearly into the world through your writings.

I was disappointed by this book. I was so pleased to see a book on trauma and memory, that I jumped to buy it, but though it starts out well, discussing the different forms of memory (declarative, episodic, emotional, and procedural), it soon narrows down into a consideration of only procedural memory and only a subset of that. Then it discusses his method of Somatic Experiencing and give case studies; it becomes clear that the discussion of memory is mainly to support his discussion of SE. Indeed, everything is centered around SE, not memory, including his criticisms (which sometimes made me cringe) of other therapists and researchers. So if you're looking for an interesting and clearly written account of SE, here it is, but if you're looking for a broad and objective account of traumatic memory, this isn't it.In case you'd like to look elsewhere, I can recommend the good (but much too short) discussion in The Body Keeps the Score (two chapters), the two interesting books by Lenore Terr (somewhat dated now), and the excellent web site: http://www.jimhopper.com/memory/

I am a therapist who has studied EMDR and Brainspotting (BSP), both excellent trauma therapies. Often I think I don't have anything left to learn and then I come across Peter Levine with the whole piece on procedural memory. I'm wondering if the "brain spot" that you find in BSP results from a disruption in the orienting response clearly described in TRAUMA AND MEMORY. Levine has the best explanation of how various types of memories work together that I've read thus far. I also loved his case examples. EMDR taught me how to activate calming acetylcholine with eye movements that reconsolidates memories to an adaptive level by dissolving the distress hormones--adrenalin and cortisol. BSP taught me how to pay attention to visceral sensations (coming from body organs), and Levine (FINALLY) taught me how to pay attention to and what to do with body movements (procedural memory) that happen during processing. Thank you Peter!

I am a clinical psychologist who read and thoroughly enjoyed (and learned from!) this book. I have read two of Levine's other books in the past (Waking the Tiger and In an Unspoken Voice), and still felt like I learned additional material about trauma and somatic experiencing from this book, Trauma and Memory. Levine writes in an interesting, easy to understand, and readable manner so that you're learning a lot without suffering through mind bending, dry, and textbook-like material. His way of explaining the different levels of memory and how traumatic memories are formed, stored, and healed was extremely clear and made a lot of sense. In fact, it was so clear, that I was able to outline the main concepts and present them to some of my clients and students without any problems. I would definitely recommend this book to others!

I liked the fact that Levine affirms the significance of trauma memories while recognizing that declarative memory is evolving and uncertain. There were sufficient examples to give a grasp of the author's clinical practice, while offering useful information for those with a different point of view. This was an easy, quick read for me.

Peter Levine for a long time talked about he was writing a book exploring memory in trauma. I expected an in depth exploration, but this is not what this book is. I got the sense that the author decided his name would sell the book and quality didn't matter, in fact, given that his non profit paid fees for book writing, I wonder if a ghost writer did some of the writing? Pure speculation, but not an uncommon practice.The chapter on memory erasure relied on arguing against a fictionalized movie rather than on the actual research into memory reconsolidation processes in treating PTSD. For most people, who are unaware of the actual science, they will buy into Levine's treatise, which only goes to support his SE method. But anyone who understands the actual neuroscientific literature will be appauled at how badly he botches and sophmorically represents the science of memory "erasure". Essentially, the advice is, don't get the dramatized and fictional therapeutic treatment that Jim Carry got in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (a treatment tgat actually doesn't exist) do something naturalistic like SE instead.

Peter uses several examples of how the brain and body function as a survival mechanism. I appreciated his description and details of what is happening at a cellular level. It is helpful to follow and use the body and sensation as guide in healing traumatic memories.

As a sufferer of PTSD I am a regular reader of literature on the subject & must admit this is one of the most helpful books I have read..I have only been offered group therapy by NHS & any sufferers will appreciate that Trauma is usually not for public discussion. Consequently I am continually striving to learn how to deal with problems, especially flashback which I am faced with almost daily, as are many others. Points in the book help reader to realise ways of handling destructive thought patterns to avoid unpleasant reactions to everyday events which may knock a PTSD sufferer sideways. These days we live in a somewhat callous world so I have found some of the strategies suggested to be enlightening as well as a protection. Highly recommended.

As someone with CPTSD I bought this book to try to gain a better understanding of how memory is involved in the continuation of trauma long after it's occurrence, but I found this book quite a triggering read- especially it's opening on memory being a gift and a curse (and several other parts throughout suggesting that actually trauma is/can be a falsification of memory and our remembering of such is incorrect). Levine does go into fascinating detail about how trauma should be initially treated, how memory works and strategies to renegotiate hyperarousal and levels of threat including concepts such as the SIBAM model and Somatic Experiencing. Generally on the whole it's an interesting read, triggering in places and I found it quite passive/detached in the treatment of trauma overall, but it does also make a lot of sense and cover a wide variety of issues to do with trauma and memory- things like the physical imprint of trauma, helpful and unhelpful therapy options and the way the mind works in memory processing/reprocessing to the far end of the scale in looking at topics such as memory erasure and generationally inherited trauma. It is an easy read in terms of understanding Levine's thought processing but at some points for me, affected by trauma, it was too raw and exposing.

Absolutely excellent and informative read as are Peter Levine's other works "Waking the Tiger" and "In an Unspoken Voice'. Should be required reading for all mental health specialists, and are a very easy read for anyone who has suffered from traumatic experiences or is simply interested in how the brain and body work together.

Peter Levine always makes the difficult, complex aspects of human life into something tangible and identifiable.I was recommended his books by a trauma therapist friend who is well established and it truly lived up to expectations. I'll be buying more of his books.

Superbly written book which offers excellent insight into the physical and emotional experience of trauma. As I read it, things in my personal life fell into a comfortable and reassuring new light and I now feel that I have a far better understanding of the "confabulation" sometimes seen within a mental health community. An absolute "must read".