Trauma Psychology: Top 12 Books You Need To Read Before 2025 - Inner Work Library [163/500]

[@jordanthornton]

*1-1 Mentorship Information: Price & Structure (Maximum Capacity = 20 Clients Per Year)* It's an absolute pleasure to film these KZbin videos, and I feel fortunate to receive an abundance of meaningful messages every week, but I am unfortunately faced with the disappointing reality of turning away the vast majority of people who want to work together. I have significantly limited availability and can only support twenty people per year because I do not offer one-off calls or drop-in consulting sessions. Twenty individuals might not sound like maximum capacity, but the last few years of teaching have taught me the importance of maintaining tight energetic boundaries if I want to keep uploading these free videos in addition to serving my current clients to the best of my ability in 2024. To minimise confusion and enhance transparency, I've spent several hours writing this ridiculously long comment to help you decide if my Inner Work Mentorship is the right choice for your development & what you could reasonably expect from working closely together. Please take the time to read this service description before contacting me on Instagram… or feel free to stop reading right now if you’re not interested in my fees, session structure, client expectations, etc. ... *READ BEFORE SCROLLING FURTHER:* I'm interested in long-term change and structural transformation, which is why I've never offered one-off sessions. Complex issues cannot be resolved in a few hours, but we likewise need to define an upper limit for containment and collaboration. I've learned that deep and enduring self-integration requires at least four months of immersive effort. Why four months? It's enough weekly contact for us to work through multiple complex issues and developmental possibilities, but short enough to mitigate against unconscious co-dependency and motivational stagnation. I'm currently accepting a maximum of two new clients per month - message me after reading the following section to check my availability. ... *HOW I WORK & WHO I WORK WITH* Unlike other coaches and teachers who take an understandably more relaxed approach to healing and integration, my mentorships are characteristically intense. This is a highly-demanding, high-investment process which requires our consistent combined effort over a period of four months. If we were to start working together, I would reasonably expect you to be excited to show up for a minimum of 10+ hours of self-motivated transformative practice per week (daily reading, fitness routine, creative exercises, spiritual reflection, etc.) while also maintaining full-sobriety (no drink, no drugs, no cigarettes, no vapes). These strict standards of discipline and sobriety are plainly unsuitable for most people in most situations - even genuinely motivated individuals who resonate with my KZbin videos may not be the right match for four months of structured mentorship. If you want to get deeper, I've noticed that there's a certain type of ‘temperament' & 'timing’ to get the most out of me. I'm interested in alert, creative and purpose-driven individuals who aspire to exceptional standards of self-maturation and would enjoy the feeling of going through week-on-week of progressively stacked transformative experiences for a third of a year: my ideal client is somebody who is willing to bring forward their internal complexity with a sense of courage and transparency with the intention of nothing less than full-spectrum transformation & rapid acceleration on their personal path. I am yet to discover another supportive figure who offers something comparable to this mentorship: a four-month, structured yet flexible 1-1 container which is simultaneously therapeutic, academic and action-oriented; with primary focus placed on tangible improvements in your felt sense of self-knowledge and self-integration; in addition to making consistent and meaningful progress towards your unique goals and mentorship aspirations. I prioritise contact, compassion and accountability, which means that your work never really 'ends' at the end of your session. You can reasonably expect to be fed dozens of customised reading suggestions and follow-on perspectives outside of the formal sessions via friendly and informal messenger contact, where I am active and available four days per week to cultivate an intimate personal connection while likewise enhancing your positive momentum via accountability check-ins and additional support as required. By way of conclusion for what feels like an extraordinarily long comment and service description, I feel compelled to once more emphasise that working directly with me is unrealistic for most people in most situations. I often support people who are accustomed to wrestling with the emotional challenges associated with working through complex wounds in previous therapeutic relationships before we begin our coaching work together. Even individuals without 'hard trauma' can expect moments of pressurised darkness and heaviness during periods of shadow contact as you begin to restructure your personal unconscious. We will be exploring your psyche and soma at scale and depth, and it will be your responsibility to keep me informed about the emotional texture of your internal reality, especially if you encounter negatively charged experiences, and I will of course do everything in my power to support you through the hard times as we integrate the darkness and move forwards together. KZbin is a wonderful place for me to share free research resources and offer accessible inner work invitations; my private mentorships, however, are the place for collaborative partnership and emotional security as we identify, navigate and restructure oftentimes confronting and challenging conscious and unconscious physical, emotional and mental material. Ultimately, this is a highly-demanding but highly-rewarding process which requires the best of our shared intentions. ... *SESSION STRUCTURE & FEES:* The total fee for an Inner Work Mentorship (including 12 x 2 hr sessions) is £7,400 GBP or approximately $9,400 USD. This is my only coaching programme, and my mentorship pricing is liable to adjustment over time. Each private session lasts two hours, and is facilitated via Telegram video call at an ideal time for both of us. Your mentorship extends over a linear four-month period, with a total of twenty-four hours of structured session time, in addition to four days per week of unlimited messenger availability for accountability updates, voice note exchanges and informal calls upon occasion. I do not work on Mondays, Tuesdays or Wednesdays, but I am fully-available across all timezones for regular calls and messenger contact on Thursday - Sunday. If you’ve scrolled this far, and resonate with what I’m offering, I invite you to message me on Instagram. It would be my pleasure to start exploring your goals and intentions in real-time. IMPORTANT: I am an intentionally independent coach, and not a licensed therapist or associated with any professional bodies or coaching institutions, and therefore enjoy the freedom to collaborate with my clients across all areas of life in an intimate, direct and highly involved coaching style. I work with no more than twenty people per year, and am currently accepting a maximum of two new clients per month. I also manage my own inbox and do not use automated systems or employ people to pretend to be me on Instagram, which means that it usually takes four to six weeks for me to respond to new messages and begin the interview process. Although my approach takes time, I hope you ultimately appreciate my personal emphasis on authentic and confidential communication from the very beginning of our relationship. I once again encourage you to message me immediately if you want to start working together within the next two months - bump yourself to the top of my inbox, and I’ll send you some voice notes to get our conversation started.

[@carrienowell2041]

As a psychologist that has read many books and does sit with people to help them work through very difficult things, I appreciate these recommendations so much. Much of the work in my office is helping people understand what has happened and what is happening to them. What trauma had done to them and how to recover from this experience, physically, mentally, and emotionally. I know many of these experts but have not read all these books. It's exciting to see these recommendations and to think that people can read and learn so much from the resources available to them. This is difficult work but we all do it. Healing yourself in all forms is an act of self love whether books, therapy or a combination of the two. I appreciate this video.

[@Ivy-o6p]

This channel is very unique. I've never seen anyone cater books this way. In fact, I've never heard of any of these books before. It's a treasure trove. Like I found the secret backroom in a modern market. The bookkeeper talks like this is his ordinary world. Wheras to me, it is mysterious and secret. What do you think is the biggest distinction between modern books and books of the past? I read a book called Supercommunicators last week, which was written in 2024. It was good but lots of pop culture references. I don't think it's a bad thing, it's more relatable but probably won't stand the test of times.

[@jordanthornton]

Beautiful visuals here... and they fit nicely. Happy to have landed on your homepage, and once again welcome you to the channel. Might make a video one day about new books vs old books, you're right about your cultural references point, more too.

[@themontu7066]

Oh man, I read Swamplands of the Soul probably a year ago, and it changed my life. In a lot of ways, I think it helped me understand a relationship I was in that wasn’t serving me anymore and gave me the strength to end it and know how to pursue the next stage of the healing path. I picked up Making a Life also by Hollis after my breakup, which was a good bookend. I just found your channel recently and your book recommendations are exactly what I’ve been needing. I’m in the middle of the Meeting Your Shadow anthology right now, but was wondering what to pick up next when your channel showed up in my feed. Thank you for focusing on the reading! I feel like you can get lost sometimes in this area of study and end up wasting your time in some not very helpful books, so your channel is a huge help! Can’t wait to dig in deeper!

[@jordanthornton]

Perfect timing to get connected, you’ll enjoy the shadow work playlist immensely. Great follow on from meeting the shadow…. more depth awaits ✌🏻

[@shelbyazure4201]

Bought 2 more books lol Thank you - love your introspection and your videos

[@zoemascha5057]

Thank you for the continous book recommendations!

[@jordanthornton]

Always my pleasure - thanks for being here, which ones have you picked up?

[@zoemascha5057]

@@jordanthornton My autumn reads are Psychosynthesis, The Thirst for Wholeness, Theory of positive Disintegration, A Treatise on White Magic, A Brief History of Everything, The Syndetic Paradigm and Complex PTSD

[@chantaltucker3219]

Thank you 🙏

[@999kfl]

No apologies needed, your input is invaluable Jordan!

[@jordanthornton]

Appreciate you, any new books here? ✌🏻

[@999kfl]

I'm still working on your last list of 7 books! Next up, this list:)

[@ASSIDinTheWater]

Gratitude for the recs. The ending was strange, but when you called it out, that was wholesome. Too many YT creators cut out the humanness; I appreciate you keeping it in!

[@jordanthornton]

Cheers for appreciating the decision to exemplify imperfection - I think we need more ‘real moments’ on these platforms, especially in the ‘healing space’

[@ASSIDinTheWater]

@@jordanthornton Just picked up T&tS and Swamplands. Incredible reading thus far. Going to invest in the rest when I get my new job. Thanks again!

[@gailaltschwager7377]

Oh boy, more books! Yay! Thank you, Jordan.

[@jordanthornton]

I’m shocked too… who would’ve ever expected a video like this from me? 😅

[@gailaltschwager7377]

@@jordanthornton ❤️📚❤️

[@VK-kc3ob]

I love your book recommendations ❤ Just bought Trauma and the Soul, Primal Wound, Meeting the Shadow and Healing the Child Within. Can’t wait to read them. Thank you for sharing your knowledge with us, Jordan 🙏🏻

[@jordanthornton]

Fantastic taste, thank you for doing this important work.

[@wownicole81]

My reading list has grown again! Thanks for the recommendations. On a separate note, your bookcases are beautiful!

[@The.woman.in.the.high.castle]

Just read trauma of the soul- I had a really hard time understanding the dream aspects and a lot of it went over my head but some parts of it were so beautiful and made so much sense. Only recently I started experiencing dissociation during my therapy sessions and I never realized how fragmented my personality had become. It’s really given me hope and felt like a giant hug when I finished. Cheers my friend.

[@jordanthornton]

A book that feels like a giant hug, this is beautiful and I’m happy for you. Keep going.

[@wolfhealer4296]

Your help is greatly appreciated.

[@christophertodd1980]

Thanks for your dedication to healing people by sharing your experience and knowledge Jordan. I've only read "Swamplands of the Soul" from this list but what a great book it is.

[@jordanthornton]

11 more goldmines for you to excavate here 🏆 Any of them standout?

[@christophertodd1980]

@@jordanthornton”Aligned Relaxed Resilient” and “Trauma and the Soul” are standouts for me from the others Jordan.

[@butterflymagicwithhottea9291]

I've read some of these and they are top notch.

[@jordanthornton]

Agreed. It’s top 12 for a reason 😉

[@edwardmadden1998]

Great comprehensive video Jordan. I am sure your new subscribers will really appreciate it and there are some books here that I didn’t know about so excited once again to add more to the gargantuan book list haha. I am almost finished In an Unspoken Voice at the moment. Next up The Voice of the Body. Happy Sunday and have a great week ✌️

[@jordanthornton]

Yes, a couple timely overview videos for the new subscribers before returning to the niche topics. Filming this video certainly makes me want to do a ‘metaphor therapy’ video - although it may be too niche 🤔

[@VK-kc3ob]

@@jordanthornton That is a great idea, I hope that you will make a video about it and share your knowledge on that topic. I have been studying NLP and metaphor work is so important to take our healing to a deeper level.

[@edwardmadden1998]

@@jordanthornton haha yes that section at the end was beautiful brother. You should follow where your intensity and energy wants to go :)

[@BrodesG]

Thank You, Jordan I’ve read a few of the books you have recommended in the past, they were excellent. Looking forward to reading more - grateful for your guidance :) Also, I want to share a genuine opinion from an outside perspective. When you mention having messed up while recording-I’ve heard you say this in past videos as well-I genuinely cannot tell, or it just seems like a slight hiccup, nothing more. You have such a calm voice and always present yourself as self-assured in your videos. I understand the struggle with a harsh inner critic, and I’ve found it helpful to turn the questioning back on it. It makes you question yourself and feel inadequate, but where does it gain this “higher perspective?” Maybe it should be the subject of questioning. Hope this is helpful.

[@gergfuma5036]

Thank you for your work

[@OvertheMoonz]

Really appreciate the recommendations, I started reading complex PTSD by Pete Walker in high school actually and many of the books mentioned have been on my reading list. I ended up reading the entire description of the mentorship and got to the end realizing I don't have the money at the moment to afford it. Well that can wait for another time. Of topic here but, I think you have very beautiful eyes and a really soothing voice and sound quite intelligent. I respect the work you do, and hope everything is going well for you!

[@Anilah]

Another fantastic video. These recommendations are top quality ✨🙌✨ Your content just keeps getting better and more valuable!

[@jordanthornton]

Means a lot to read your comment while knowing you’ve been here to see the multi-year evolution of this library - it’s a pleasure to teach a topic I care so deeply about 🌲

[@AmandaHodgson]

I've clearly got much more to buy. I'm currently sitting in my van at a festival and feeling no joy. This is a well-timed scroll. Thanks

[@jordanthornton]

I personally spent two years travelling around ‘intentional communities’ in 2017-2019 and know the feeling of being alone in a crowd… not matter how conscious, or supposedly conscious. You’ll find great rewards in the introverted auto-didactic turn if you’re feeling inspired - good luck this weekend ✌🏻

[@JEColquhoun1]

Jordan, You have been inspiring me so much lately. I thank you for that. I've bought five of these books and a few on Yoga Nidra and Yoga for Trauma release (because that is particularly interesting to me). I did some research on Alexander Lowen, if you don't mind me asking you, Why did you choose that particular book for this video? If I am correct I understand that you like to spend time with authors and read all of what they write. This is definitely something that I would like to do with a few psychoanalyst's I personally would be interested in you doing videos on psychoanalyst's and talk about their contributions to the field. I s this something that you might do one day? Or is this more in the realm of academia?

[@brendasalazar8136]

I am GRATEFUL for you❤❤❤❤

[@jordanthornton]

Thank you, appreciate you being here 🌲 Did you pick up any new resources from this video?

[@kierlak]

I read Pete Walker's book around 3 years ago. I also enjoyed The Body Keeps the Score where I discovered IFS. Really enjoyed Frank Anderson's Transcending Trauma.

[@jordanthornton]

Appreciate the shout out - hadn’t heard of that last book, will give it a look ✌🏻

[@Cocomog]

Jordan do you think listening to the book vs reading it makes a huge difference?

[@jordanthornton]

Yes, one is embodied and the other isn’t. It’s a more complex conversation, but physical reading in sunshine with a highlighter for mechanical engagement is healing in a world of screen addiction.

[@JEColquhoun1]

I spent a lot of time with this. Making notes and putting together a reading list. I understand going back to the roots of the original theory but how do you wade through all of the books that have recently been published on this subject? How do you make the decision between something that will be worth reading and something that is a waste of time?

[@jordanthornton]

Unless there is a very specific type of book, or one which keeps coming up, I generally ignore books which have been published in the last 20 years… they’re often referencing and reworking the older material, so it’s usually not worth it. I also try to make this channel ‘gold-only’ so you don’t see the 5 mediocre books which I read to find the ‘best one’ - hope this helps 🌲 Keep reading!

[@christophertocco8819]

I just got trauma of the soul and swamp lands. I think swamplands is what i need, thank you so much.

[@jordanthornton]

Fantastic choice, have you been reading them this week? What’s your experience like?

[@christophertocco8819]

@@jordanthornton the swamplands of the soul is fantastic. I started to see some things in a different light. I’m not a good reader so i follow along with the audiobook on Spotify. I want to read it several times to really get everything out of it! Thank you so much! The only book i have is Peter walkers book, i guess that was just the beginning. I will keep coming to this video as i finish each one. Sub’d and everything!

[@IVM422]

Hello Jordan, much is talked about childhood trauma. New trauma is created by recent life situations or occurences. Any book references on this.

[@jordanthornton]

Sure, Complex PTSD by Pete Walker covers this one, as do other books like The Body Bears The Burden - many of these in this video should help too. Be well.

[@monaeisa9150]

Jordan, did you read about autism? And how young autistic children get affected by trauma in a different way? Much love your way 🌸🌸

[@jordanthornton]

Not my area of expertise, I’m afraid. Nonetheless appreciate your question, and I’m wishing you the very best with your study path here 🌲

[@mathiasweber8683]

What is your take on emotion regulation?

[@jordanthornton]

It’s good, and a topic I talk about frequently - check out my episodes on self repair, self regulation and nervous system by searching the terms on my channel ✌🏻

[@gooseman20]

Have you done a video on the red book by carl Jung? If not can you make a summary of the book. Now my 2nd question is have you done books on the inner world? 3rd question does the inner world have a special name? Or is it just called the inner world?

[@jordanthornton]

That’s a lot of questions, and I’ve absolutely answered many of these questions repeatedly. Check out my shadow work playlist. It’s got 5+ hours of free content on these themes ✌🏻 (not the red book specifically, however)

[@harryboll8727]

Out of interest on the existential trauma front (wanted to ask this for a while!) have you come across the work of John Vervaeke? With Awakening from the Meaning Crisis and other series/work he's been the biggest influence on transforming my existential worldview. I currently have you and him as top sources for the respective poles of personal psychological trauma and existential worldview/philosophy/psychology that lie on one axis (although there is of course overlap as he does a lot for the personal and you for the existential)

[@jordanthornton]

I'm not really familiar with his work, no. But I appreciate the callout, and it sounds like we think alike in some ways based on your comment - cheers for this.

[@harryboll8727]

@ No worries re. the callout. He also just released the first book of two of Awakening from the meaning crisis - can very highly recommend if it ever calls your salience detection. Thanks again for all your work, and for responding to comments - this is by far the channel I’ve most actively engaged with comments wise as a direct result of your community building responsiveness. I’m appreciating it while it’s still feasible for you :)

[@jordanthornton]

@@harryboll8727 Yes, over 11,000 comments left on my own channel in under three years - want to continue to be as engaged as I can, for as long as I can. Thanks for noticing.

[@Hax433]

Love that!! 11k = consistency ❤ much appreciated 😎🌲

[@MatthewGillespiedj]

Hoping that "Trauma and the Soul" has a happy ending. So far in the reading, there is conviction that I don't have a soul.

[@ashisland8061]

what gives u that conviction

[@jordanthornton]

I don’t know your story, but I hope you find depth and truth in this book and some of the resources shared on this channel - stay steady with the soul struggle, clarity awaits ahead🌲

[@andyharris3376]

I have purchased three of the books that you referred. I don’t understand how these can be even referrals trauma in the soul is over the top about as ridiculous as an individual can listen to on audible. I don’t see the technical part of it at all. I’m on chapter 3 and it’s some of the hardest Information I’ve ever listened to. I haven’t heard anything technical to help anyone on any form of dealing with trauma in this particular book. Thus far at stubbornness I will listen to the whole book, but is the hardest book. I’ve tried to listen to please enlighten me on the information, that you consider to be so positive that helps people with trauma in this particular book and the other books that you referred at this point from a common sense approach. This book has no common sense to it at this point please explain.

[@jordanthornton]

Appreciate you taking the time to follow through on the studies, although trauma and the soul is not a technical book - it’s proven very experientially / emotionally comforting for many people who’ve suffered massive abuses, but you’re better off with other books like Healing Developmental Trauma or Body Bears The Burden if you want a more scientifically / academically oriented text. Wide range of suggestions here, and it makes sense that not every book will land for each individual with their needs and preferences - hope this helps 🌲

[@andyharris3376]

@@jordanthornton the other book that you had referred spent so much time, speaking about religion in for the research of the individual that wrote the book she was a proponent of Lucifer based on light bear or the translation of Lucifer meaning light I just don’t get this concept of dealing with trauma in this particular way maybe you could explain to me

[@DeeDee-44]

Omg, dissing Pete Walker!? His books are excellent. Certainly not high school at all. Ok, you redeemed yourself at 10:34.

[@busayonyc]

love love Pete walker!!!! soo underrated

[@laresiaschuelke2441]

🙏❤️🌲

[@kdpunshon3073]

😅 No it doesn't really matter.

[@merlijnbell8747]

Man masculinity and love by bell hooks

[@ericc2801]

I am not sure how or why you think you butchered the ending of this video?