First and foremost I would like to thank you for your content; it has helped me in more ways than you could know.
I’m a Psychosis survivor with intense childhood trauma. I feel I need a retreat of some sort to help detox from my current tech addiction and other unhealthy coping mechanisms.
I saw you mention a Swedish retreat of that nature that sounded perfect for me (I too have suffered trauma in psych wards). Unfortunately, their services were not available for myself as I am based in the UK.
Do you know of any similar programmes that would be available to me as a UK Resident? (willing to travel)
Hi Jamie,
You’re welcome. Alas, I don’t know anywhere like this in the U.K. — and even the program I filmed in Sweden, from what I have heard, has changed a lot from the time I filmed it (that was in 2010). So at this point I’m really not sure what to say! I think for people going through active psychosis in the U.K., the Hearing Voices Network has some real value… That’s what I’ve heard. https://www.hearing-voices.org/#content
Your videos have been helpful to me in facing myself or rather what I have had to become.
Becoming a better person, i.e. actually kind and caring, but not spineless and superficial, is a long journey for me; I will have to spend plenty of time self reflecting. It’s funny how I used to think that the world was a dangerous and terrible place to live in, with people in it being nothing but reflections of it. Now I realize that the world has nothing to do with me, and the people are mostly indifferent to each other – I imagined all this, and by the virtue of reinforcement, the imaginable became reality to me, but not to the world. I lost 10 years of my life… friends, opportunities, loved ones, just because I didn’t want to be harmed. Instead, I harmed them so I could survive.
Now I am all by myself – the fault is all mine.
Still, I choose to see this as a wake up call for me. I wish to start feeling, perhaps to even cry, which I haven’t done in a long time. To calm down the fire inside me, and patch up the void of my own making.
I can’t really afford long term therapy sessions, well, not for the foreseeable future. So, I am limited to YouTube videos on relevant topics. Your videos are a hidden gem for me. Thank you.
So, which one of your books would you recommend to start reading? Can you also recommend any other literature relating to trauma?
Secondly, may I know your opinion of the following book – “Fear of Life” by Alexander Lowen? I read not long ago, and it did ring a bell inside me, somehow made me feel anxious. It would be interesting to know your opinion on this.
Hi anon,
greetings! No, I never did read that book. I think this is the first I’ve heard of it. If you care to share, what are your thoughts about it?
Daniel
Hi Paul,
Hmm, well, first I’d recommend whichever seems most appealing to you. I think the best are “Breaking from your parents.” “Toward Truth,” and “From trauma to Enlightenment.” And they’re also the cheapest! But I think all the books are pretty good, though “Beyond Medication” is very expensive and I think a little boring.
Daniel
I am coming to America to live in a few months and want to become a therapist! Can you please suggest what did you study in the graduate school or there after to become a good therapist? What skills do I learn to become a great therapist and what field? CBT? Narrative therapy? NLP? What do you think? I want to become a clinical therapist.
Hi Doni,
Greetings. I got a Masters in Social Work from New York University. It’s a two year program, and the best part about it was the internships, because I got to work directly as a therapist with clients. After that I worked for three years a psychotherapy clinic (for pay), where I received weekly supervision (it was terrible, but the clients were excellent). I did no other formal training or formal studies. Everything I did was self-motivated and self-study — read tons of books, met with tons of therapists, read so many books clients recommended, etc. I had no desire to return to school and formally study any particular school of thought, because I wanted to study my own way to being a therapist. I did learn a lot from the books I read, though… But the two biggest teachers I had were 1) my clients, and 2) my inner self…
Wishing you the best!
Daniel
Mainstream therapy is broken… if I can suggest learn how to facilitate play and laughter therapy, do outdoor therapy, forest bathing therapy … learn about nutrition and how toxins and chronic illnesses create mental illness. Therapy is mostly gaslighting and lies with one or two people that actually has the patients best interests at heart.
Gosh, you’ve authored or co-authored 7 books? You seem not to toot your own horn – and I’ve been listening to your channel for months! Looking forward to the material, thank you for what you do.
Thank you so much for your book Breaking from Your Parents. When I read it for the first time many other things came as a great help. Maybe I can write a more extensive feedback at some other point.
The reason why I am writing today is that it is the second time that I remember that you have a chapter there where you explain how looking at the cruel sides of one’s parents (and of society at large) and one’s childhood wounds does not only bring up anger, pain and grief, but also forces which try to stop you on that path. Today, on my second day of my holiday, I felt so much like a loser, so guilty, so wrong, I got very much lost in all of it. Thank’s god at one point I remembered again that you describe that these are completely normal experiences when you decide to grief your losses and to side with yourself again.
With all the other feelings of grieving I have gotten much more comfortable over time but this self-hatred and self-blame, they’re very tricky to become aware of still. They are so incredibly powerfull storytellers and on top they know your weak points a lot better than yourself, actually. It’s quiet a thing.
So, thank’s, Daniel. I appreciate your work a lot.
Hi, it would be really cool if you put the Table of Contents on each book page. Its an information that helps the prospective reader to get an idea of the body of work. I think it could encourage m ore people to buy your material.
yes, even though it is healing to see your facial expressions and hand gestures. You are so visually expressive. Also, maybe on your most popular videos, activate the YT automatic close captioning for deaf people? I would avoid editing and transcribing (too time consuming) since people still get the gist though the auto-transcriber makes a mistake with a word or many…
Are you working currently on a new book, Daniel:)? Do you think you’ll publish one exclusively about self-therapy some day? It’s so hard to find a good and responsible therapist and, frankly speaking, watching about all those cool therapists in your movies when I’m not from USA is depressing for me. I’m curious if others feel similarly but I feel as if all good ones are in the USA or Scandinavia… What about the rest of the world? I personally feel that the self-therapy that you promote is an answer to this huge problem. You kindled a spark of hope that it actually may work! I’d love to hear about people from your experience as a therapist or your personal life who healed completely through self-work-without psychotherapy. And I think I’m not the only one:)!
Hi, Daniel! Congratulations from Barcelona. I’ve just seen a video on YouTube about the process of Healing and for me It has been a great discover. Let me explain. Alice Miller is one of my favorite writers. Since I heard about her, back in 2009, I’ve read all her books, several times each. Today I was searching more information on Internet about her and I’ve decided to enter to YouTube… and I have discovered your videos! Thank you for all your explanations, and above all, thank you for your honesty and your courage when you talk about your life. It’s nice to see that I am not the only one. I am a journalist and academic in Barcelona, Spain, and I will try to find your books!
Hi Daniel–I was hoping to buy Breaking From Your Parents (which Amy told me of) in a print version, but found only a kindle one on Amazon. Did I miss something, or is there any way I can pay you for a printable one? ION, I’m so glad you’re out there in the world doing your thing and making it a better place. Best to you –Kara
hi Kara,
greetings from zagreb, croatia! alas — there is no printable copy……. just the PDF version via this website and the kindle version on amazon……. sorry — i wish there were a print version. maybe someday?!?! all the best to you! daniel
I just happened upon your essay on Hornstein’s biography in the course of preparing a talk which is the second part of a presentation to some psychotherapists.Imagine my astonishment when I discovered that you are also the author of the first part of my presentation at which I showed ‘Take these Broken Wings’, which I greatly admire! I am a psychotherapist with a strong interest in severely disturbed people. Running out of space; have a look at http://www.psychoanalysis-and-therapy.com/rmyoung/index.html
Hey Daniel,
First and foremost I would like to thank you for your content; it has helped me in more ways than you could know.
I’m a Psychosis survivor with intense childhood trauma. I feel I need a retreat of some sort to help detox from my current tech addiction and other unhealthy coping mechanisms.
I saw you mention a Swedish retreat of that nature that sounded perfect for me (I too have suffered trauma in psych wards). Unfortunately, their services were not available for myself as I am based in the UK.
Do you know of any similar programmes that would be available to me as a UK Resident? (willing to travel)
Thanks again, Daniel. You’re a Gem!
Hi Jamie,
You’re welcome. Alas, I don’t know anywhere like this in the U.K. — and even the program I filmed in Sweden, from what I have heard, has changed a lot from the time I filmed it (that was in 2010). So at this point I’m really not sure what to say! I think for people going through active psychosis in the U.K., the Hearing Voices Network has some real value… That’s what I’ve heard. https://www.hearing-voices.org/#content
Wishing you the best!
Daniel
Hi Daniel!
First of all, I want to say thank you.
Your videos have been helpful to me in facing myself or rather what I have had to become.
Becoming a better person, i.e. actually kind and caring, but not spineless and superficial, is a long journey for me; I will have to spend plenty of time self reflecting. It’s funny how I used to think that the world was a dangerous and terrible place to live in, with people in it being nothing but reflections of it. Now I realize that the world has nothing to do with me, and the people are mostly indifferent to each other – I imagined all this, and by the virtue of reinforcement, the imaginable became reality to me, but not to the world. I lost 10 years of my life… friends, opportunities, loved ones, just because I didn’t want to be harmed. Instead, I harmed them so I could survive.
Now I am all by myself – the fault is all mine.
Still, I choose to see this as a wake up call for me. I wish to start feeling, perhaps to even cry, which I haven’t done in a long time. To calm down the fire inside me, and patch up the void of my own making.
I can’t really afford long term therapy sessions, well, not for the foreseeable future. So, I am limited to YouTube videos on relevant topics. Your videos are a hidden gem for me. Thank you.
So, which one of your books would you recommend to start reading? Can you also recommend any other literature relating to trauma?
Secondly, may I know your opinion of the following book – “Fear of Life” by Alexander Lowen? I read not long ago, and it did ring a bell inside me, somehow made me feel anxious. It would be interesting to know your opinion on this.
Much thanks Daniel.
Hi Max,
Thanks for sharing! Maybe this would be useful to you: https://wildtruth.net/some-book-recommendations-psychology-and-more/
All the best,
Daniel
Hey!
Have you read ‘The Laws of Human Nature’ by Robert Greene?
What are your thoughts about it?
Hi anon,
greetings! No, I never did read that book. I think this is the first I’ve heard of it. If you care to share, what are your thoughts about it?
Daniel
Hi Daniel.
If you would have to recommend just one of your books to someone, which one would it be?
Hi Paul,
Hmm, well, first I’d recommend whichever seems most appealing to you. I think the best are “Breaking from your parents.” “Toward Truth,” and “From trauma to Enlightenment.” And they’re also the cheapest! But I think all the books are pretty good, though “Beyond Medication” is very expensive and I think a little boring.
Daniel
Cool! Do you have a list of your favourite books that aren’t written by you?
Hi Brandon,
Greetings! Yes, I wrote a blog post on some of my favorite books fairly recently. Here’s the link: https://wildtruth.net/some-book-recommendations-psychology-and-more/
I could probably add 100 more, but I’d just have to think about it!
Wishing you the best,
Daniel
Hi Daniel,
I am coming to America to live in a few months and want to become a therapist! Can you please suggest what did you study in the graduate school or there after to become a good therapist? What skills do I learn to become a great therapist and what field? CBT? Narrative therapy? NLP? What do you think? I want to become a clinical therapist.
Thank you for your time and efforts
Doni.
Hi Doni,
Greetings. I got a Masters in Social Work from New York University. It’s a two year program, and the best part about it was the internships, because I got to work directly as a therapist with clients. After that I worked for three years a psychotherapy clinic (for pay), where I received weekly supervision (it was terrible, but the clients were excellent). I did no other formal training or formal studies. Everything I did was self-motivated and self-study — read tons of books, met with tons of therapists, read so many books clients recommended, etc. I had no desire to return to school and formally study any particular school of thought, because I wanted to study my own way to being a therapist. I did learn a lot from the books I read, though… But the two biggest teachers I had were 1) my clients, and 2) my inner self…
Wishing you the best!
Daniel
P.S. Perhaps you would like some of my videos on this playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLRHLaIzKomTiyUtDGwvzc9YjcM3K9sdMG
In them I go into much more detail about things I have written here…
Mainstream therapy is broken… if I can suggest learn how to facilitate play and laughter therapy, do outdoor therapy, forest bathing therapy … learn about nutrition and how toxins and chronic illnesses create mental illness. Therapy is mostly gaslighting and lies with one or two people that actually has the patients best interests at heart.
Gosh, you’ve authored or co-authored 7 books? You seem not to toot your own horn – and I’ve been listening to your channel for months! Looking forward to the material, thank you for what you do.
Thank you so much for your book Breaking from Your Parents. When I read it for the first time many other things came as a great help. Maybe I can write a more extensive feedback at some other point.
The reason why I am writing today is that it is the second time that I remember that you have a chapter there where you explain how looking at the cruel sides of one’s parents (and of society at large) and one’s childhood wounds does not only bring up anger, pain and grief, but also forces which try to stop you on that path. Today, on my second day of my holiday, I felt so much like a loser, so guilty, so wrong, I got very much lost in all of it. Thank’s god at one point I remembered again that you describe that these are completely normal experiences when you decide to grief your losses and to side with yourself again.
With all the other feelings of grieving I have gotten much more comfortable over time but this self-hatred and self-blame, they’re very tricky to become aware of still. They are so incredibly powerfull storytellers and on top they know your weak points a lot better than yourself, actually. It’s quiet a thing.
So, thank’s, Daniel. I appreciate your work a lot.
Hi, it would be really cool if you put the Table of Contents on each book page. Its an information that helps the prospective reader to get an idea of the body of work. I think it could encourage m ore people to buy your material.
Hi Daniel,
I’ve enjoyed your videos on therapy, trauma and recovery.
Have you considered reaching your audience through audiobooks (i.e., recording your books) ?
Consider Audible… read by the author. 🙂
I’d like to listen on my commute and I bet others would too.
All the best,
Michael..
thanks Michael — it’s a great idea! much appreciated — daniel
yes, even though it is healing to see your facial expressions and hand gestures. You are so visually expressive. Also, maybe on your most popular videos, activate the YT automatic close captioning for deaf people? I would avoid editing and transcribing (too time consuming) since people still get the gist though the auto-transcriber makes a mistake with a word or many…
thanks a good idea! i wonder how to activate automatic captioning on all my videos?
Thank you…..
Are you working currently on a new book, Daniel:)? Do you think you’ll publish one exclusively about self-therapy some day? It’s so hard to find a good and responsible therapist and, frankly speaking, watching about all those cool therapists in your movies when I’m not from USA is depressing for me. I’m curious if others feel similarly but I feel as if all good ones are in the USA or Scandinavia… What about the rest of the world? I personally feel that the self-therapy that you promote is an answer to this huge problem. You kindled a spark of hope that it actually may work! I’d love to hear about people from your experience as a therapist or your personal life who healed completely through self-work-without psychotherapy. And I think I’m not the only one:)!
Oh, I hope he will!
Please send me news about your books etc
Hi, Daniel! Congratulations from Barcelona. I’ve just seen a video on YouTube about the process of Healing and for me It has been a great discover. Let me explain. Alice Miller is one of my favorite writers. Since I heard about her, back in 2009, I’ve read all her books, several times each. Today I was searching more information on Internet about her and I’ve decided to enter to YouTube… and I have discovered your videos! Thank you for all your explanations, and above all, thank you for your honesty and your courage when you talk about your life. It’s nice to see that I am not the only one. I am a journalist and academic in Barcelona, Spain, and I will try to find your books!
nice to hear, eva. greetings to you!
daniel
Hi Daniel–I was hoping to buy Breaking From Your Parents (which Amy told me of) in a print version, but found only a kindle one on Amazon. Did I miss something, or is there any way I can pay you for a printable one? ION, I’m so glad you’re out there in the world doing your thing and making it a better place. Best to you –Kara
hi Kara,
greetings from zagreb, croatia! alas — there is no printable copy……. just the PDF version via this website and the kindle version on amazon……. sorry — i wish there were a print version. maybe someday?!?! all the best to you! daniel
I just happened upon your essay on Hornstein’s biography in the course of preparing a talk which is the second part of a presentation to some psychotherapists.Imagine my astonishment when I discovered that you are also the author of the first part of my presentation at which I showed ‘Take these Broken Wings’, which I greatly admire! I am a psychotherapist with a strong interest in severely disturbed people. Running out of space; have a look at
http://www.psychoanalysis-and-therapy.com/rmyoung/index.html
cool to hear, Bob. Thanks for sharing this!!
Daniel