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

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad tense medium-paced

4.5

Foo's ability to reflect on so many areas of adversity while balancing volunteering heavily-weighted (and heart-wrenching complex trauma) with moments of levity is something I'm unaccustomed to in Psychology focused works.  Her career as a skilled journalist lends to her storytelling ability in a way that invites the reader into some deeply personal moments, along with understandable behavioral changes throughout her development that negatively impacted her relationships - until she was able to connect with mental health resources that worked for her.  In that part of the journey - I feel it's encouraging to any audience to learn, from a psychoeducation scope, that there are multiple therapy modalities available to anyone motivated to heal from past hurts.  The encouragement comes with the acceptance that it's up to the person receiving the therapy to be good advocates/allies to themselves as they learn to feel comfortable working with a therapist, but also communicating to them when something isn't working, doesn't feel right or when to terminate services with them.  Despite inner-critics coming up for her she persists in finding a therapy modality that she does connect with and is able to move forward.  This is something that I hope others take away if they've ever felt discouraged by having sessions with a therapist feel off-kilter, and to realize there's always a benefit to mindfulness practices like looking inward with curiosity.  
For highly sensitive persons I would encourage keeping some soft tissues nearby.  
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