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Trauma-Sensitive Mindfulness: Practices for Safe and Transformative Healing Hardcover – February 13, 2018
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"[A] rare combination of solid scholarship, clinically useful methods, and passionate advocacy for those who have suffered trauma." ―Rick Hanson, PhD, author of Buddha's Brain: The Practical Neuroscience of Happiness, Love, and Wisdom
From elementary schools to psychotherapy offices, mindfulness meditation is an increasingly mainstream practice. At the same time, trauma remains a fact of life: the majority of us will experience a traumatic event in our lifetime, and up to 20% of us will develop posttraumatic stress. This means that anywhere mindfulness is being practiced, someone in the room is likely to be struggling with trauma.
At first glance, this appears to be a good thing: trauma creates stress, and mindfulness is a proven tool for reducing it. But the reality is not so simple.
Drawing on a decade of research and clinical experience, psychotherapist and educator David Treleaven shows that mindfulness meditation―practiced without an awareness of trauma―can exacerbate symptoms of traumatic stress. Instructed to pay close, sustained attention to their inner world, survivors can experience flashbacks, dissociation, and even retraumatization.
This raises a crucial question for mindfulness teachers, trauma professionals, and survivors everywhere: How can we minimize the potential dangers of mindfulness for survivors while leveraging its powerful benefits?
Trauma-Sensitive Mindfulness offers answers to this question. Part I provides an insightful and concise review of the histories of mindfulness and trauma, including the way modern neuroscience is shaping our understanding of both. Through grounded scholarship and wide-ranging case examples, Treleaven illustrates the ways mindfulness can help―or hinder―trauma recovery.
Part II distills these insights into five key principles for trauma-sensitive mindfulness. Covering the role of attention, arousal, relationship, dissociation, and social context within trauma-informed practice, Treleaven offers 36 specific modifications designed to support survivors’ safety and stability. The result is a groundbreaking and practical approach that empowers those looking to practice mindfulness in a safe, transformative way.
- Print length264 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherW. W. Norton & Company
- Publication dateFebruary 13, 2018
- Dimensions6.3 x 1 x 9.6 inches
- ISBN-100393709787
- ISBN-13978-0712353830
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Editorial Reviews
Review
― The Journal of Contemporary Psychotherapy
"As soon as I finished reading this book, I began suggesting it to friends who are counselors as well as yoga teachers. . . . This book is an exceptional resource for therapists that includes case examples which offer an excellent overview of trauma and its effects. . . . I am grateful for the work that Treleaven is doing and that he has shared this insightful, caring, and valuable book."
― Psych Central
"A seminal work of outstanding scholarship. . . . [I]mpressively informative, exceptionally well written, organized and presented so as to be of enduring value for both academia and the non-specialist general reader with an interest in the subject."
― Midwest Book Review
"Meditation is sweeping through our culture, offering unprecedented potential for healing our psyches and transforming consciousness. Yet, like all powerful processes, if not well understood it can be misused and cause damage. This is particularly the case for those who are living with trauma. In his groundbreaking exploration of meditation and trauma, David Treleaven looks at this issue through multiple lenses, drawing on current research about the physiology and psycho-neurology of unprocessed trauma, and shining a light on the potential impact of a well articulated, popular, and highly regarded form of mindfulness meditations called Vipassana, or Insight meditation. This is essential and fascinating reading for meditation teachers, mental health practitioners, and all those who have suffered from trauma and want to engage on a meditative path in a wise and healing way."
― Tara Brach, PhD, author, Radical Acceptance and True Refuge
"David’s writing connects our inner and outer work. It locates mindfulness amidst the real, lived experiences of the people practicing. He acknowledges the trauma that so many of us experience, and the healing that so many need. And, as few in the meditation world do, David reveals the reality and impact of social inequities, and how they are at play in mindfulness training and practice, and trauma healing."
― Staci Haines, author of Healing Sex: A Mind-Body Approach to Healing Sexual Trauma
"In this highly readable, sensitive, and respected volume, David Treleaven illuminates the hidden risks of mindfulness and meditation for those who have backgrounds of unresolved trauma. At the same time he offers practical ad protective strategies which greatly expands the reach of these vital practices to populations that previously were unable to benefit from them. Teachers of mindful practices, including meditation and yoga, as well as helping professionals of all sorts who endeavor to weave mindful practice into their work, will all find the wisdom in this book essential for helping traumatized students and clients."
― Babette Rothschild, MSW, author, The Body Remembers, Volumes 1 & 2
"David Treleaven's book offers a timely and important contribution to understanding the scope and efficacy of mindfulness practices...Treleaven has carried out both academic research and clinical investigations over decades into how to make mindfulness safe for trauma survivors, and this is the fruit of his work...This is an informative and readable book, which is evidence-based, full of scholarly research, as well as lively illustrative case stories and important, practical therapeutic wisdom. "
― Human Givens
About the Author
Product details
- Publisher : W. W. Norton & Company; 1st edition (February 13, 2018)
- Language : English
- Hardcover : 264 pages
- ISBN-10 : 0393709787
- ISBN-13 : 978-0712353830
- Item Weight : 2.31 pounds
- Dimensions : 6.3 x 1 x 9.6 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #40,795 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #83 in Medical Psychology Pathologies
- #110 in Post-Traumatic Stress
- #285 in Meditation (Books)
- Customer Reviews:
About the author

David Treleaven, PhD, is a writer, educator, and trauma professional whose work focuses on the intersection of trauma, mindfulness, and social justice. Born in Toronto, Canada, he trained in counseling psychology at the University of British Columbia and received his doctorate in psychology from the California Institute of Integral Studies in San Francisco. He is author of the book Trauma-Sensitive Mindfulness: Practices for Safe and Transformative Healing published by W. W. Norton.
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Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers find the book insightful and easy to read. They appreciate the useful research, case studies, historical reflection, and practical advice. The writing is a balanced blend of personal perspective and rigorous science. Readers find the straightforward practical information about how to deal with trauma helpful.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers find the book insightful and easy to follow. It provides helpful research, case studies, historical reflection, and practical advice. They say it should be essential reading for mindfulness teachers and therapists who offer trauma-focused care. The author mentions the Buddhist roots of mindfulness, which are important. Readers appreciate the evidence-based practice and readable, smart writing style.
"...It is unabashed in highlighting the way oppression IS trauma and how essential a race conscious framework is to meaningfully helping people find..." Read more
"This book is not only a clear, insightful, evidence-based exploration of trauma in the context of mindfulness (and vice versa), it is also full of..." Read more
"...It offers both deep and lucid explication of trauma and mindfulness and practical guidance on how to integrate the two--where they are complementary..." Read more
"As a practitioner, it is imperative to understand and know signs of trauma that various individuals may face...." Read more
Customers find the book easy to read and useful for clinicians. They say it's an important read for anyone interested in teaching or using mindfulness intensively.
"...This is a great book...." Read more
"This is an imperative read for anyone serious about teaching or using mindfulness in an intensive and healing way...." Read more
"I'm so grateful this book is in the world. This is an essential read; a deeply needed examination of how we understand and relate to mindfulness..." Read more
"This book is excellent and offers a fresh perspective on trauma and mindfulness...." Read more
Customers find the book easy to read and follow. It contains a balanced blend of case studies, personal perspective, and rigorous science. They appreciate the straightforward practical information about how to deal with trauma. The writing is clear, using plain language that explains concepts clearly. Readers also mention that the tools and suggestions are great guidelines.
"...He used a lot of plain non-academic language and explains concepts very clearly...." Read more
"This book is not only a clear, insightful, evidence-based exploration of trauma in the context of mindfulness (and vice versa), it is also full of..." Read more
"...lucid explication of trauma and mindfulness and practical guidance on how to integrate the two--where they are complementary and where adjustments..." Read more
"...The book is easy to follow, contains very useful research and experience backed information and uses patient/client vignettes to emphasize many..." Read more
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Top reviews
Top reviews from the United States
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- Reviewed in the United States on January 11, 2019So many times I’ve been in meditation/mindfulness spaces and wished the facilitators or the framework had a deeper sense of concepts of oppression, power and the -isms (racism, sexism, etc) and the trauma many groups have imposed upon them. So many time I have been in social justice spaces and wished the facilitators has a better understanding of trauma and integrated mindfulness components. So many times I have been with trauma professions who also have their own gaps.
This book ties them all together and is very needed in the work so many people are doing.
Just a few months ago a friend reached out to me - she was in a small graduate counseling program and she and her classmates were really frustrated that the faculty didn’t seem to get why social justice was relevant let alone essential to a good practice. This book is the solution she and her peers are looking for. It is unabashed in highlighting the way oppression IS trauma and how essential a race conscious framework is to meaningfully helping people find healing- and disrupting the systems that cause so much pain and injustice. (other identity consciousness is also included but the author is heavier on race as he should be) I’ve been doing social justice work in different modalities and spheres for over a decade- and what really struck me about this work was that he makes the privilege/power/oppression content accessible, non-threatening and yet still full of accountability. Somehow he’s created space for seasoned practitioners to read these concepts explained in new ways and, to my eyes, it seems extraordinary the way he balanced holding softness and grace with those who may not have bought in to the fact that they need to care about microagressions, for example- while making it absolutely clear that it would be... a major misstep not only to avoid these topics/brush over them, but also a misstep to avoid looking internally at our own biases and the work we (White people especially) need to do if we want to be in full humanity with our friends and family with marginalized identities. And, while I’m sure it’s not perfect- David writes like he has lots of deep experience being accountable to people of color and it shows in his writing. He’s not ticking boxes to perform social justice- he sees a lot of the emotional depth of social justice that many people miss.
This is a great book. I am not a trauma nor mindfulness practitioner by profession- but I read this book because these topics all interest me personally. He used a lot of plain non-academic language and explains concepts very clearly. I was grateful for the brief history lesson, showing how sexism especially set up the stigmatization of mental healthy and traumatizatuon especially. I found the parts that explain trauma (psychoeducation) really helpful and accessible (and less triggering than my read of some other popular books about trauma) and the adaptations to mindfulness practices to be really great- and honestly things we can be doing in other/many settings. I’ll adapt some of them when I do some student leadership training in the future. I’ll also share them with family - and use them regularly in my own mindfulness practice.
Strong recommend. Definitely belongs on the shelves of many of helper-professionals and in the curricula of many if not most counseling programs.
- Reviewed in the United States on February 22, 2019This book is not only a clear, insightful, evidence-based exploration of trauma in the context of mindfulness (and vice versa), it is also full of heart. In it, David explores the Venn diagram overlap between the worlds of trauma and mindfulness, offering clear evidence that 1) those impacted by trauma are already in our mindfulness classes and retreats, and 2) that while mindfulness can be a foundational component of healing from trauma, it can also be triggering and potentially harmful if offered in a way that is not ‘trauma-sensitive.’ Conversely, with skilled, caring and well-trained attunement to our students’ (and our own) experiences of trauma when teaching mindfulness, we can support the journey of transformation, flourishing and full engagement in life as we’re living it—always right now!
Consistent with our current understanding of trauma from the fields of neuroscience, neurobiology and ethology, David takes a broad view of trauma as a spectrum experience. Trauma’s impact includes not only symptoms that meet the criteria for PTSD, but also the dysregulation and dis-integration resulting from any experience that overwhelms the nervous system. He accurately cites causes of trauma as including not only singular and specific events, but also chronic interpersonal and systemic violence and oppression.
While research thus far points to the significant benefits that can be experienced from mindfulness practice across a wide range of symptoms and ‘dis-eases,’ there is also a small but growing body of evidence that reveals adverse effects from meditation and points to the gaps in our understanding of when, what kind and for whom meditation might be harmful. David draws on this and other research to show how those with post-traumatic stress, or unintegrated trauma, can be especially vulnerable to adverse effects from meditation.
As our ethical responsibility is to ‘first, do no harm’, it is incumbent upon us as teachers (and teacher training centers) to incorporate what David calls the ‘4 R’s’ of trauma-sensitive mindfulness: recognizing trauma, responding skillfully to trauma when it is triggered, referring wisely when required, and avoiding retraumatization.
In support of these core capacities, David offers practical and precise ways of incorporating modifications to make our mindfulness courses trauma-sensitive. Ultimately, ensuring that we as teachers are skilled and safe resources for our students requires us, to be awake to trauma’s presence, and adept in meeting it with sensitivity and skill. If the whole of practice is, as Jon Kabat-Zinn says, ‘a radical act of love’, then, with its aim of relieving suffering for those of us impacted by trauma, so, too, is this book.
Top reviews from other countries
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Henrique CardosoReviewed in Brazil on September 2, 20245.0 out of 5 stars Indispensável para professores e interessados em mindfulness
Um livro informativo e orientativo sobre os perigos de se ensinar mindfulness sem o conhecimento da origem e natureza do trauma.
Apesar dos inúmeros benefícios para a saúde mental, física, emocional e o bem-estar geral propiciados àqueles que mantém uma prática regular de mindfulness, pode acontecer a alguns alunos iniciantes, cerca de 20%, não conseguir avançar nas práticas.
Experiências traumáticas anteriores podem surgir durante as aulas e práticas e desestabilizar mental e emocionalmente o(a) aluno(a). Isso pode não só tornar a prática torturante, quando não, agravar e reforçar a experiência traumática.
Nestes casos, não é a mindfulness quem está gerando o problema, mas a forma de como abordar a mindfulness em contextos desafiadores. Por isso a relevância do livro.
Seria exagero exigir de todos os professores de mindfulness conhecer tudo sobre trauma, mesmo sabendo que a maioria dos seus alunos não passariam por isso.
Todavia, é preciso saber o mínimo para, caso aconteça uma crise numa aula (ou mesmo quando o aluno estiver praticando sozinho em casa), o(a) professor(a) saiba como abordar adequadamente e de forma segura o(a) aluno(a), ajudando-o(a) sair da situação difícil.
Por conseguinte, também seria é oportuno sugerir suspender a prática por um tempo e procurar a ajuda de um profissional especializado para tratar do problema.
Portanto, é um livro adequado para instrutores de mindfulness, psicologos, terapeutas, psiquiatras e todos aqueles que se interessam por mindfulness. Logo, oportuno para ser adotado em cursos de formação de professores de mindfulness.
Para aprofundar na abordagem do Trauma e mindfulness, se tiver a curiosidade, a vontade, o tempo e a persistência adequados para para iniciar e aprofundar, segue sugestão de leituras em ordem de prioridade didática e aprofundamento:
1) Eugene T. Gendlin. Focalização: Uma Via de Acesso à Sabedoria Corporal
2) Peter A. Levine. Uma voz sem palavras: Como o corpo libera o trauma e restaura o bem-estar
3) Bessel van der Kolk. O corpo guarda as marcas: Cérebro, mente e corpo na cura do trauma
4) Gabor Maté e Daniel Maté. O mito do normal: Trauma, saúde e cura em um mundo doente
PS: Se não quiser começar pela origem, pode começar por 2. Se quer começar da origem, siga a ordem. As dicas 3 e 4 se complementam e pode iniciar por um ou pelo outro.
Fabiana L.Reviewed in Germany on July 21, 20225.0 out of 5 stars This book it's really helpful : well written, practical and fairly easy to read
An absolute "must read" for all those who practice/teach meditation or mindfulness
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Valenti L.Reviewed in Italy on February 15, 20215.0 out of 5 stars Molto interessante
Testo molto interessante. Ho fatto un po' fatica a leggerlo in inglese ma merita!
PemaReviewed in Canada on November 28, 20195.0 out of 5 stars Heart-Centered Brilliance! Should be mandatory "trauma-sensitivity" training!
I feel compelled to write a review of this magnificent book. I practically highlighted the entire book (YES I read it- cover to cover). I do not know the author (wish I did), nor am I being paid or in any way “encouraged” to write a review. I did read other reviews on Amazon and asked myself whether some of these people could have possibly read the same book I did!
I appreciated, and resonated with so much with, what this author wrote. I am hoping to somehow imprint in my mind and heart his skillful expression of concepts, I have a level of experiential understanding of, and only wish I could verbalize the way this author was able to do. I have picked up many books over the years on the subject of trauma, and rarely do I get beyond the first few chapters - generally lots of theory, and little in the way of "practical" strategies/approaches in how to integrate the material to alleviate suffering in my life or the lives of others.
This book, in my opinion, is loaded with easy to digest and understand "how to" information and the right amount of contextual theory (brilliantly merging the many new age "gurus" on the subject such as Ogden, Levine, Porges, van der Kolk etc). The numerous “real life” examples where trauma sensitivity was, or was not, applied were very impactful.
The author’s understanding of trauma felt enormously validating where it concerns my own experiences of trauma. Validation is not something I have experienced often! I also believe I am, after reading this book, much better equipped and informed as I move forward "in service" offering mindfulness and self-compassion based trauma programs. I am also now much more aware of where I need to continue to open my heart and awareness.
After reading this book I am aware that I MUST be more sensitive to the social context and "take action to a more just, compassionate future". The dynamics that relate to privilege, oppression and harm (described in detail in this book), I now know absolutely need to be considered and understood for me to truly be of service. I am a privileged white middle class straight female who truly has no idea what it would be like to live in the body, or from the lens, of the a community member of First Nation’s origin living on “shared” land (we stole from them) for example. I am also aware now, more than ever after reading this book, that I have lived my life feeling with a unique trauma lens where I have felt that I was in a world where I did not belong, was not understood and where I was unsafe.
I am a survivor (and now mostly “thrivor”) after layers of trauma that started in my early childhood. For the majority of my life I had no connection with my body and had no interest in wanting to inhabit it. Numerous mental health diagnosis and so called "care" professionals - using the analogy that this author describes in this book - focusing on hosing down the smoke (symptoms) without even any awareness of or curiosity about the fire (trauma). Eat more bran I was told when I suffered from debilitating (traumatic stress related) constipation for example! Take a pill - it will help you feel better... In fact, in the dozens of medical professionals I have seen over the year (including many Psychiatrists), have not even asked about my trauma history! The author speaks of "retraumatization" that can occur. Pounding on pillows in an "anger release" program where I ended up with both a neck injury and months of nightmares I couldn't process is just one of MANY examples of "therapeutic interventions" lacking in trauma sensitivity!! As this author points out, cathartic releases are not necessarily trauma integrations!
For the past 10 years I have been immersed in mindfulness practice under the guidance of a skilled - more importantly - present teacher who I trust, embodies the practice and with whom I feel safe when he teachers. The practices (and therapeutic relationship with my teacher) have, using the authors words) helped me "increase my capacity to be with a range of experience - be it joy, love, or traumatic stress...as I (we) strengthen our ability to be with pain, we can also welcome more pleasure and peace".
I have also come across many "Mc Mindfulness" teachers who are "jumping on the bandwagon" to what many are seeing as a new "cure all". Thank you for pointing out that 'trauma-sensitive mindfulness is not something we can pick up at a week-end workshop and then add to the list of our offerings". And YES, it is time that we start talking about where the mindfulness teachings came from. There is such a danger of taking what the yogi’s learned after years and years of dedicated practice, and teachings passed on from teacher to teacher, out of context. In the west we seem to want the “quick fix” (ideally in the form of a pill) for everything that ails us. Mindfulness is not that new quick fix. It seems that we also want to neatly package the teachings into a program anyone can easily sell and teach ignoring the role that the teacher plays.
What I would have liked to see more of in this book is talking about the importance of developing “heart coherence” in those working with individuals with traumatic stress. The HeartMath Institute has done extensive research that shows that if what we are vibrating from the electromagnetic field of our heart is not coherent (which also reflects a deregulated nervous system) we can negatively affect the coherence of those we are with. I believe strongly that a mindfulness teacher/therapist/coach that lacks heart coherence can actually do harm when working with someone with trauma.
Quoting the Dalai Lama: “Our prime purpose in this life is to help others. And if you can’t help them, at least don’t hurt them.”
There is no doubt in my mind after reading this book that this author walks his talk – a true and experiences mindfulness practitioner AND skilled, trauma-sensitive psychotherapist. I am deeply grateful for David Treleaven’s important and inspiring contribution to the potential for transformative healing for trauma survivors through mindfulness practice or any practice. I believe this should be mandatory “trauma-sensitivity” training reading for anyone involved in trauma work from any modality (not just Mindfulness). The fact that 60% of the proceeds of the sale of his book is going to trauma-sensitive organizations tells me an awful lot about this man’s heart.
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FemmeReviewed in Mexico on December 9, 20183.0 out of 5 stars Se enfoca más en lo negativo
Esta bueno y con mucha info pero es más para Clinicos que para personas buscando remedios prácticos para trabajar la resiliencia. Se enfoca mucho en lo negativo

