The content of this website is built from lived experience, supplemented by scientific publications, classical works, and mystical traditions. My education at the Pulsar Academy plays an important role in this, alongside years of reading and study around PTSD, moral injury, and the art of living.
Below, the sources are organized by theme. Where a source has its own summary page, you can click through for more context.
Trauma and the body#
- Van der Kolk, B. (2014). The Body Keeps the Score. Viking
- Porges, S. (2011). The Polyvagal Theory: Neurophysiological Foundations of Emotions, Attachment, Communication, and Self-Regulation
- Pert, C. (1997). Molecules of Emotion. Scribner
- Siegel, D. (2012). The Developing Mind
- Cozolino, L. (2006). The Neuroscience of Human Relationships. Norton
- McCraty, R. et al. (2009). The Energetic Heart: Bioelectromagnetic Communication Within and Between People. HeartMath Institute
- Koch, S.C. et al. (2019). Dance Movement Therapy and Trauma
- Wolynn, M. (2024). It Didn’t Start With You
- Van der Hart, O., Nijenhuis, E. & Steele, K. (2006). The Haunted Self: Structural Dissociation and the Treatment of Chronic Traumatization. Norton
- Herman, J.L. (1992). Trauma and Recovery. Basic Books
- Herman, J.L. (2023). The Aftermath of Violence — From Domestic Abuse to Political Terror
- Levine, P. (1997). Waking the Tiger — Healing Trauma. North Atlantic Books
- Levine, P. (2010). In an Unspoken Voice — How the Body Releases Trauma and Restores Goodness. North Atlantic Books
- University of Amsterdam Research on the Head-Heart-Gut Axis
Body-oriented therapy#
- Ogden, P., Minton, K. & Pain, C. (2006). Trauma and the Body — A Sensorimotor Approach to Psychotherapy. Norton
- Emerson, D. (2015). Trauma-Sensitive Yoga in Therapy. Norton
- Veldman, F. (1988). Haptonomy — The Science of Affectivity
- Feldenkrais, M. (1972). Awareness Through Movement. Harper & Row
- Lowen, A. (1975). Bioenergetics. Penguin
- Berceli, D. (2005). Trauma Releasing Exercises (TRE)
- Association of Haptotherapists — Haptotherapy for PTSD (PDF)
Moral injury and recovery#
- Shay, J. (1994). Achilles in Vietnam — Combat Trauma and the Undoing of Character. Scribner
- Litz, B.T. et al. (2009). Moral Injury and Moral Repair in War Veterans. Clinical Psychology Review
- Litz, B.T. — overview of work on moral injury
- Pargament, K. (1997). The Psychology of Religion and Coping. Guilford
Stress physiology and neurobiology#
- Yehuda, R. (2015). Post-traumatic Stress Disorder
- Yehuda, R. et al. (2002). Biological Psychiatry
- Yehuda, R. et al. (2016). Intergenerational Effects on FKBP5 Methylation
- Meaney, M. & Szyf, M. (2005). Environmental Programming of Stress Responses
- Pruessner, J.C. et al. (2007). Psychoneuroendocrinology
- Lovallo, W.R. et al. (2005). Psychosomatic Medicine
- Born, J. & Fehm, H.L. (2000). Endocrine Reviews
- Rosenbaum, M. et al. (2015). Metabolism
- American Diabetes Association (2004). Diabetes Care
- Guyton, A.C. & Hall, J.E. Textbook of Medical Physiology
- Walker, M. (2017). Why We Sleep
- LeDoux, J. (2012). Rethinking the Emotional Brain
- Lieberman, M.D. et al. (2007). Putting Feelings Into Words. Psychological Science
Philosophy and embodied cognition#
- Damasio, A. (1999). The Feeling of What Happens: Body and Emotion in the Making of Consciousness
- Varela, F.J., Thompson, E. & Rosch, E. (1991). The Embodied Mind
- Wilson, M. (2002). Six Views of Embodied Cognition. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review
- Embodied Cognition — Overview
Therapy, recovery, and growth#
- Gilbert, P. Compassion Focused Therapy
- Pennebaker, J.W. & Evans, J.F. Expressive Writing: Words That Heal
- Tedeschi, R.G. & Calhoun, L.G. (2004). Posttraumatic Growth: Conceptual Foundations and Empirical Evidence
- Kabat-Zinn, J. (1990). Full Catastrophe Living
Shame, guilt, and self-image#
- Brown, B. (2012). Daring Greatly
- Nathanson, D.L. (1992). Shame and Pride
- Tangney, J.P. & Dearing, R.L. (2002). Shame and Guilt
Sleep, dreams, and trauma#
- Walker, M. (2017). Why We Sleep
- Germain, A. Sleep Disturbances as the Hallmark of PTSD
- Nielsen, T. & Levin, R. Nightmares: A New Neurocognitive Model
- Krakow, B. — research on nightmares and Imagery Rehearsal Therapy
- Hobson, J.A. — sleep and dream research
- Jung, C.G. — work on dreams and symbolism
Psychedelics and trauma#
- Mitchell, J.M. et al. (2021, 2023). MDMA-assisted Therapy for Severe PTSD. Nature Medicine
- FDA Briefing Document (2024). Advisory Committee Meeting: Midomafetamine Capsules (MDMA)
- Feduccia, A.A. et al. Reviews on MDMA-assisted psychotherapy and PTSD
- Oehen, P. et al. (2013). Pilot Study of MDMA-assisted Psychotherapy for Treatment-resistant PTSD
- Krediet, E. et al. Reviews on psychedelics for PTSD and trauma-related disorders
- Reiff, C.M. et al. (2020). Psychedelics and Psychedelic-assisted Psychotherapy. American Journal of Psychiatry
- Bahji, A. et al. Meta-analyses on ketamine for trauma-related symptoms and depression
- Carhart-Harris, R.L. et al. Psilocybin studies on depression, cognition, and psychological flexibility
- Davis, A.K. et al. Psilocybin-assisted therapy research on depression and meaning-making
- Carlos Castaneda — The Teachings of Don Juan
Mystical traditions and the art of living#
- Gurdjieff, G.I. (1950). Beelzebub’s Tales to His Grandson
- Ouspensky, P.D. In Search of the Miraculous
- Derkse, M. The Pulsar Vision
- Rumi, J. The Masnavi (English translations by Reynold A. Nicholson and Jawid Mojaddedi, among others)
- Rumi, J. The Divan of Shams of Tabriz
- Schimmel, A. (1993). The Triumphal Sun — A Study of the Works of Jalaloddin Rumi
- Chittick, W. (1983). The Sufi Path of Love — The Spiritual Teachings of Rumi
- Shafak, E. (2010). The Forty Rules of Love
- Dreu, J. de live!
- Ruiz, D.M. (1997). The Four Agreements. AnkhHermes
- Campbell, J. (1949). The Hero with a Thousand Faces
- Frankl, V.E. (1946). Man’s Search for Meaning
- Latifa as Meditation or Prayer
- Buddhist Anapanasati — Breath as a Path
- Kabbalistic Breath Meditation
- Sufi Breathing Exercises
- Sufi Parables
- Hasidic Stories
- Parables of Jesus
- Kral, T.R.A. et al. (2018). The Effect of Meditation and Mindfulness on the Brain
- Jung, C.G. — work on shadow and symbolism
- Richard Bach — Jonathan Livingston Seagull