The Courage to Heal: A Guide for Women Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse

by Ellen Bass, Laura Davis, Laura Davis

Book Overview

The Courage to Heal is an inspiring, comprehensive guide that offers hope and encouragement to every woman who, was sexually abused as a child -- and those who care about her. Although the effects of child sexual abuse are long-term and severe, healing is possible. The authors weave personal experience with professional knowledge to show the reader how she can come to terms with her past while moving powerfully into the future. They provide clear...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0060962348
• ISBN13: 9780060962340
• Release Date: January 1988
• Publisher: Harper Perennial
• Length: 495 Pages
• Weight: 1.83 lbs.

Customer Reviews

Don't buy into the bad reviews

I am really put off by the bad reviews here. I did have repressed memories of my abuse. They came back one day when my mother told me that my sister "accused" my father of abusing her a long time ago. Of course, no one believed her. I then realized that these faint memories that seemed like dreams I had a long time ago were real. I read this book and it helped me tremedously. I ended up confronting my father in front of my entire family and telling him if he does not admit to what he has done - I will never speak to him again. HE DID ADMIT IT. Those repressed memories were not a farse. Don't minimize how much this book can help someone. Who cares that they are not doctors - they tell you that in the very beginning of the book. They have years of experience dealing with victims and did much research with victims to come up with this book. Just look at how many 5 stars this book got compared to 2 or 1 stars. Please! And I hate to tell all these 1 star reviewers who comment on how this book spews hatred towards men, but guess what? When someone you trust rapes you as a child YOU DO WISH THEY WOULD DIE A HORRIBLE DEATH. Of course you hate their guts. Obviously those who think this is uncommon never dealt the the trauma of rape (which is what molestation is).

what a godsend

I bought this for a friend who confided her history of abuse to me. I asked a great therapist friend to recommend a book and she gave me this one. My abused friend called me in tears because she felt this book was written personally for her.

Incredible book - highly recommended

I highly recommend this book. It is great to see the 20th anniversary edition of this book come out this year. This book with its accompanying workbook was instrumental in my healing process. The Courage to Heal with other books started a generation of helping empower survivors of child abuse and children to heal from the crimes of pedophilia. It also encouraged those fighting to promote the rights of children against sex crimes. It was unfortunately attacked by those that do not want to see survivors of sexual abuse and children supported. These attacks in essence help promote pedophilia, by eliminating support systems for survivors and children that have suffered sexual abuse. But the book has stood the test of time and twenty years later, is still a classic and one of the best resources available for sexual abuse survivors. ritualabuse.us

help in healing

this book is a great resource for survivors of sexual abuse. a perfect accompaniment is The Courage to Heal Workbook: A Guide for Women and Men Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse. the books have an appropriate level of overlap, but each is enough different from the other to make both very helpful and informative. they can be read in succession or simultaneously because they build on each other either way. the book breaks the healing process down into more manageable parts and begins at the beginning, which i find much more helpful than jumping right to "forgiveness" or "moving on." one caveat is that the book can be overwhelming for some people, and other treatment to break into the territory of recovery may be necessary first.