1. Just like the Green Book guided travelers through danger, I trust my instincts to guide me to safety, dignity, and freedom.

2. Every closed door I face reminds me: we’ve always built our own doors, our own roads, our own havens.

3. I honor the wisdom of those who mapped safe passage before me. Their courage flows in my veins.

4. I move forward knowing that survival is brilliance, and brilliance is my birthright.

5. Where the world tries to erase me, I plant my flag and leave a record. My journey will not be forgotten.

6. The Green Book whispered: you belong here, here, and there too; even if others reject you. I carry that same declaration wherever I go.

7. My presence in spaces once denied is not an accident—it is a victory.

8. I claim every mile, every moment, every breath as evidence that I am unstoppable.

9. Just as we found refuge when the world was hostile, I build sanctuaries of love, truth, and power in my own life.

10. Forward motion is my inheritance. My map is resilience, my compass is hope, my vehicle is faith.

<p>The post You Belong Here, Here, and There too; Even If Others Reject You. first appeared on Survivor Affirmations.</p>

Whether you’re healing from personal trauma, systemic injustice, or generational pain, you deserve tools and support that honor the fullness of your story.

But here’s the thing: support shouldn’t always be hidden behind a paywall.

We’ve curated a list of 12 completely free eBooks created by trusted trauma experts, clinicians, and Survivor-advocates. These resources are available to help you understand your experience, regulate your nervous system, and begin or deepen your healing—on your own terms, at your own pace.

1. “Understanding and Healing Trauma” by The Wellness Society

   • An introductory guide discussing four key approaches to trauma healing, featuring insights from experts like Bessel van der Kolk and Peter Levine.​Wellness Society+1Archive.org+1

   • Download Link

2. “Trauma Survivors’ Resource Guide” by Carolyn Spring

   • A comprehensive eBook offering practical advice and resources tailored for trauma survivors.​

   • Download Link

3. “Stages of Trauma Recovery” by Janina Fisher

   • An eBook detailing the phases of trauma recovery, providing valuable insights for both survivors and practitioners.​

   • Download Link

4. “The Solutions To Trauma Series” by Trauma Thrivers

   • A beautifully presented eBook packed with information on more than 50 different methods that help with healing trauma.​

   • Download Link

5. “Free eBooks Specializing in the Chronic Illness and Trauma Perspective” by Veronique Mead

   • A series exploring the connection between chronic illness and trauma, offering insights and healing strategies.​

   • Download Link

6. “Beyond Disaster: A Survivor’s Guide to Spiritual First Aid” by Trauma Healing Institute

   • A booklet offering practical ways to care for oneself and loved ones after surviving a disaster.​Trauma Healing Institute

   • Download Link

7. “Understanding and Overcoming Trauma” by Wesley Family Services

   • An eBook designed to support trauma recovery, providing guiding principles for healing and building resilience.​

   • Download Link

8. “Trauma” by Meg-John Barker

   • A free book covering topics such as trauma and the body, complex PTSD, developmental and intergenerational trauma.​Rewriting The Rules

   • Download Link

9. “Healing The Wounds of Abuse: A Manual For Self-Help” by Paul Liederman M.D.

   • A guide offering strategies for self-help and recovery from abuse.​

   • Download Link

10. “Quieting The Mind” by Dr. Dennis Murphy

    • An eBook providing techniques to calm the mind and alleviate anxiety, aiding in trauma recovery.

    • Download Link

11. “The Anxiety Book: 30 Proven Principles to Rewire Worry, Overcome Overthinking, and Stop Being Anxious” by Ryan A. Bush

    • Offers practical principles to manage anxiety and stress, which are often components of trauma.

    • Download Link

12. “Communication in Relationships for Couples” by Elvira Hofman

    • Focuses on improving communication skills, which can be beneficial for trauma survivors working on relationship dynamics.

    • Download Link

Please note that while these resources are available for free, some may require you to provide an email address or create an account to access the downloads.

<p>The post 12 Free Books to Support Your Trauma Healing Journey first appeared on Survivor Affirmations.</p>

Photo by 2Photo Pots

Dear Survivor,

They are playing in your face by making you explain. And explain. And explain. Forget them.

All these folks running around protecting property they can’t take with them after they die and people have the nerve to act like we are the crazy ones.

Well your ground is your body. Stand your ground. Set your boundaries. Keep you safe. Love on you.

*Disclaimer: I am not advocating violence. I am advocating love. Unapologetic self love. We don’t go out of our way to explain why we rest, dance, learn, hope, pray, say “no”, get radical about our safety, or set boundaries like we are a high dollar gated community. Because we are. In fact we are worth so much more than any property on this planet. 

The most valuable thing that you have is YOU.

For Survivors of trauma, especially those carrying layers of unspoken, generational, or racialized pain (includes so many on this planet -Black, Native American, Aboriginal, Asian, Middle Eastern, Jewish, …..) , somatic healing—healing through the body—can be a sacred and transformative path. It reconnects us with the parts of ourselves we were forced to silence in order to survive.

But access matters. We believe healing should not always be behind a paywall.

That’s why we’ve gathered this list of 12 completely free eBooks and guides from reputable therapists, trauma practitioners, and somatic experts. These resources are accessible to anyone ready to take the next step—whether you’re just beginning to feel your way back into your body or you’ve been walking this path for a while.

May you find peace, power, and presence in your healing.

🌿 1. FREE Beginners Somatic Healing (Part 1): “Felt Sense”

Learn how to tune into your body’s wisdom through the concept of the “felt sense”—a foundational somatic practice for healing trauma.
🔗 Download here

🌿 2. FREE Beginners Somatic Healing (Part 2): “Getting to Know Your Parts”

This guide explores how different parts of you—emotional, protective, wounded—show up in the body. Compassionate and accessible.
🔗 Download here

🌿 3. Somatic Healing & Trauma Therapy – Free eBook

An easy-to-understand guide covering nervous system regulation, trauma patterns, and simple practices to bring the body into safety.
🔗 Download here

🌿 4. What Is Somatics? How Can It Help Me?

A friendly, practical introduction to somatics and how it can support your body in healing aches, stress, and trauma patterns.
🔗 Download here

🌿 5. 10-Step Somatic Healing Guide by Natalie Ledwell

This spiritual and science-informed guide offers a gentle, 10-step process to begin healing trauma through embodiment.
🔗 Download here

🌿 6. The Solutions to Trauma Series – Trauma Thrivers

A comprehensive collection of methods and approaches to healing trauma, with somatic practices included. Excellent for deeper exploration.
🔗 Download here

🌿 7. The Mind-Body Connection Toolkit – Life by Design Therapy

This free eBook shares somatic grounding tools, breathing practices, and a beginner’s guide to reconnecting with your body safely.
🔗 Download here

🌿 8. Free Chronic Illness and Trauma eBooks by Dr. Veronique Mead

A series exploring the deep connection between chronic illness and stored trauma, with body-based approaches to support healing.
🔗 Download here

🌿 9. Somatic Experiencing 101 – A Gentle Guide

A foundational primer on Peter Levine’s somatic experiencing method for trauma healing.
🔗 [Search or request from SE practitioner community]

🌿 10. Free Polyvagal Theory eBook – Befriending Your Nervous System

Learn how your nervous system responds to trauma and how somatic tools can help regulate and restore a sense of safety.
🔗 [Available through SE or Polyvagal Institute networks]

🌿 11. Embodied Safety: Healing Trauma Through the Body

Explore practices to create a sense of internal safety when the world feels overwhelming or unsafe.
🔗 [Search through trauma-informed somatic therapists or Body Trust organizations]

🌿 12. Healing Trauma: A Pioneering Program Based on Human Resilience

This is the free companion workbook to Peter Levine’s renowned trauma recovery approach—often offered through libraries and public health orgs.
🔗 [Request through OpenLibrary.org or [your local trauma center]]

Please note that while these resources are available for free, some may require you to provide an email address or create an account to access the downloads.

<p>The post 12 Free eBooks to Support Your Somatic Healing Journey first appeared on Survivor Affirmations.</p>

 When you live with someone who is psychologically abusive, it’s just not possible to feel well or to be at your best because you’re at very high risk for a multitude of health issues, including post-traumatic stress disorder.

<p>The post Healing Words: Women with Controlling Partners by Carol A. Lambert, MSW first appeared on Survivor Affirmations.</p>

Libraries are often called the gateways to knowledge. But have you ever wondered who decides how books get organized? For over a century, most libraries have used the Dewey Decimal System (DDS). It works, but for a long time, it wasn’t fair—or inclusive.

That’s where Dorothy Porter stepped in. A trailblazing Black librarian, she didn’t just shelve books—she reshaped how knowledge itself gets classified.

Who Was Dorothy Porter?

Dorothy Porter was born into a world stacked against her. Opportunities for Black women in the early 1900s were scarce, but she pushed through, excelling in library science.

In 1930, she became the librarian at Howard University, where she quickly spotted a huge problem: the Dewey Decimal System basically shoved all books about Black life and history into a few narrow categories like slavery or colonization.

That meant works by Black authors weren’t easy to find and were often dismissed as “less important.” Dorothy Porter refused to let that stand.

How She Changed the Game

Instead of sticking with Dewey’s biased setup, Porter designed a new way:

• Reclassified Black Literature
  She grouped books by genre and author instead of shoving everything under “slavery.” That meant readers could finally see Black contributions in literature, history, science, and more.
• Balanced Out Religion
  Christianity had been given pages of space in Dewey’s system, while all other religions were lumped together. Porter pushed for a more balanced approach.
• Updated Subject Headings
  She got rid of offensive, outdated labels in catalogs and replaced them with respectful, accurate language.
• Made Libraries More Welcoming
  Beyond classification, Porter championed diverse collections so readers of all backgrounds could actually find themselves in the library.

Building a Legacy

Her work helped establish Howard’s Moorland-Spingarn Research Center, now one of the world’s most important collections of Black history and culture.

Porter didn’t just reorganize books—she reimagined how knowledge should be valued and accessed.

Why It Still Matters

Dorothy Porter showed that libraries aren’t just places to borrow books. They shape how we understand the world.

Without fair classification, whole cultures can get erased.

Thanks to her, today’s libraries are far more inclusive.

She sparked conversations about bias in systems—conversations that continue today.

Even though the Dewey Decimal System is still being updated (and some libraries are moving away from it altogether), her influence is undeniable.

✨ Dorothy Porter’s story reminds us: challenging the system can open doors for generations to come.

Legacy

Dorothy Porter’s name may not be widely known, but her work speaks volumes. As we continue striving for inclusivity in education, literature, and beyond, her legacy serves as a powerful reminder that who organizes knowledge matters just as much as the knowledge itself.

Next time you visit a library, take a moment to appreciate the system that helps you find the books you need—and remember the unsung heroes like Dorothy Parker who fought to make it better for everyone.

<p>The post Dorothy Porter Wesley: The Woman Who Transformed the Dewey Decimal System first appeared on Survivor Affirmations.</p>

Leslie Gray Streeter Black Widow

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Our Favortie Books by Tonya GJ Prince

<p>The post Survivor Affirmations: A Few of Our Favorite Books first appeared on Survivor Affirmations.</p>