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I've invested dozens of hours and thousands of dollars into therapy. Since age 19 I've sought licensed therapists to help me work through my problems.

Unfortunately, therapy hasn't helped me at all. And I'm not alone. Though some people do receive needed help from therapists, they've failed to move the needle on my healing journey.

What's helped me is reading books.

Most people cannot afford therapy. Even more throw money at therapists who don't help them, and even make things worse. And I'm not talking about the initial mood slump when you first start talking about your problems.

So, if therapy's not working for you or you can't afford it, take heart. These books about understanding and healing trauma will give you what you need. And save you a boatload of cash in the process.

This book examines childhood trauma and the long-term effects it has on how we manage our emotions. It helps the reader understand why feelings of emptiness and isolation follow her around.

Childhood abuse expert Beverly Engel shows you how to use self-compassion to overcome shame associated with your past. 

In this book, Lindsay Gibson exposes the destructive nature of emotionally immature or unavailable parents. You'll discover ways to heal from the pain and confusion caused by childhood emotional neglect.

If you felt unwanted, unloved, or rejected throughout childhood, trauma may be deeply embedded in your mind, soul, and body. This book is a practical guide to recovering from the effects of childhood trauma.

This substitute for therapy will help you understand what was missing from your childhood. It teaches you how to fill the parenting gap by learning to mother yourself.

The author uses scientific evidence to show how trauma literally reshapes your body and brain. As a result, your ability to experience pleasure, engagement, self-control, and trust are severely compromised. He explores innovative treatments, from neurofeedback to meditation, that offer new paths to recovery.

Mean Mothers tells the stories of real life daughters with mothers who could not love them. She focuses on the subtle forms of psychological damage these mothers inflicted. And offers support to those women who suffered parental cruelty and neglect.

Tell us, what book would you add to the list?