Reviews tagging 'Colonisation'

What My Bones Know: A Memoir of Healing from Complex Trauma by Stephanie Foo

20 reviews

sarahbeaman's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

finishing this book felt like letting out a lifelong exhale. what a gorgeous, reflective and well-researched memoir about growing up and growing through complex ptsd, and about how love and family always find those who are brave enough to reach for them (despite despite despite).

i saw so much of myself in this book while also learning so much about the unique complexities of c-ptsd for people of colour or anyone from a marginalised group. one that will stay with me, i hope, for a long long time.

quotes that stuck out to me:

“Being healed isn't about fecling nothing. Being healed is about feeling the appropriate emotions at the appropriate times and still being able to come back to yourself.”

"Love is not a finite resource, something you have to mete out carefully like a package of Oreos. Instead, providing love begets more love, which begets more and more love.“

”I decide I'll get to washing up when I get to it. I'll get to everything when I get to it. The world will keep turning. The tacos are delicious, and I take my time eating them. And then I'm marveling: Oh, wow. Maybe this life I’ve got is going to be spectacular, after all.”

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Abandonment, Colonisation, Mental illness, Child abuse, Bullying, and Emotional abuse

epiphyte's review against another edition

challenging dark hopeful inspiring medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Physical abuse, and Violence

Moderate: Colonisation

rubellaface's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

5.0

Quick caveat: I do not have C-PTSD. I am a second-generation Filipino American who grew up to have high-functioning anxiety & depression due to tiger parenting, growing up Asian American, and being forced to become an alpha daughter. 

Reading this book triggered me and had me questioning my reality and how I’ve often laughed-off or disassociated my personal trauma in order to succeed in life (and therefore be perceived as being okay). Her coping mechanisms were/are my coping mechanisms, and funnily enough, I didn’t even realize they were coping mechanisms. So as Stephanie went down the rabbit hole of finding out what her bones know and how to fix it, I was right beside her– transfixed and checking my own bones for fissures and trauma from similar situations in my family life. 

Cause Stephanie Foo does not pull her punches when recounting her childhood. Every abusive situation is described in a way that is almost clinical and ripe for analyzing. Her book is basically an emotional autopsy of her trauma, and the way she uses her journalism background to thoroughly vet every single c-ptsd-related therapy is both thrilling and heartbreaking. As a reader, you want Stephanie to find a therapy that works for her and that can “cure” her, and I just wanted to hug her each time a practice or therapist failed her. 

Needless to say, I was emotionally invested in Stephanie’s book. I cried towards the end as she found stable ground and the tools to fight for her peace of mind. And I cried again at the similarities in how we approached our weddings and wedding guests. Her healing journey echoed and reaffirmed my own, and I will recommend this book to all my AAPI friends who I know have gone through sh*t and are trying their best.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Drug use, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Addiction, Bullying, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Cursing, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, and Violence

Moderate: Ableism, Pandemic/Epidemic, Racism, Sexual assault, Colonisation, Misogyny, Sexism, and Classism

Very triggering. Sometimes in a good way.

birbmcbirb's review against another edition

emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective fast-paced

5.0

This is THE book I now recommend about C-PTSD. To both those with it, and those trying to understand it. I wasnt left drained and triggered like so many other CPTSD books, and Ms. Foo is a wonderful writer. I powdered through this book in 3 days, and it only took that long because I was busy each day. Any other mental health book would have left me triggered and burnt out, this book amazingly did not, but not because it pulled punches in talking about abuse and recovery. Im going to be so annoying about suggesting everyone reads this.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Mental illness, Emotional abuse, Self harm, Sexual assault, Racism, Abandonment, Child abuse, Chronic illness, and Colonisation

Moderate: Xenophobia and War

edeanreads's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Physical abuse, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Abandonment, and Violence

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Colonisation, and Racism

meganriner's review against another edition

challenging emotional hopeful informative reflective sad medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicidal thoughts, Physical abuse, Abandonment, Child abuse, Violence, Mental illness, Emotional abuse, and Grief

Moderate: War, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Pandemic/Epidemic, and Colonisation

courtney_scott1025's review against another edition

emotional inspiring medium-paced

5.0

Wow. Never have I felt so seen and connected to someone's journey. I was diagnosed with CPTSD due to neglect/emotional abuse by my mother. Stephanie's life is much more traumatic than I will ever know, but it was so powerful. I couldn't stop listening. Her resilience, her story, her words were just so inspiring. If you think you have CPTSD, pick up this book. You will not regret it.  

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Child abuse, Self harm, Mental illness, Eating disorder, Colonisation, Abandonment, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Suicide attempt, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Pandemic/Epidemic, Grief, and Suicidal thoughts

izarah's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

5.0

how does one speak about this book? i need to gather my thoughts. it’s definitely a lot better than the body keeps the score. 

“it’s not the fights that matter. it’s the repairs” i love this way of reframing conflict. 

there’s so many parts i’ve had to sit back and reflect on but for now i’ll just give that line. 

so vulnerable and informative yet heartbreaking in less than 300 pages 
i just wish i had a physical copy (which i will be purchasing) so i could add in my notes. very validating. love the tools she mentioned to help people in similar positions or on their own healing journey. love that she got the help she needed! i might be biased for giving it 5 stars given it’s my area of interest but it was so good! i’d recommend to anyone and everyone just to see a refreshing yet blunt perspective 

full review may be written once i have a copy of my own 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Self harm, Pandemic/Epidemic, Violence, Colonisation, Child abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Abandonment, Grief, and Racism

lestatsoul's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny hopeful informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Self harm, Physical abuse, Abandonment, Body shaming, Child abuse, and Bullying

Moderate: Colonisation and Domestic abuse

maddy4prezident's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful informative fast-paced

5.0

This was such a fast, informative book and it was so well written. So much so that I found myself recommending it to people before I even finished. Foo's narrative style is at once both rich with information and full of character and personality that makes it a fast, enjoyable read. Her willingness to be vulnerable and admit her own shortcomings while still focusing on a generally positive and hopeful arc made the book an excellent read. It invited reader to relate to Foo while also reflecting on their own experiences and applying the knowledge she imparts into the reader's own life.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Mental illness, Violence, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Alcohol, Colonisation, Grief, Drug use, Drug abuse, and Self harm