I bought a copy of this for myself, and shared another with a client before I even finished reading this. This is an excellent book that really opens up the narrative and perspective on othering trauma. In this handbook Reicherzer explores the ways in which othering trauma sets ongoing "rules" and expectations that lead to internalized oppression, and provides concrete strategies for reframing those expectations.

The Rules of Fear that Reicherzer discusses are:
"You Shouldn't Complain Because Others Are Worse Off Than You"
"You'd Better Tone It Down"
"You Must Work Twice as Hard"
"Oh, You Shouldn't Feel Resentful"
"You Cannot Change The World"

If you feel like you've internalized those messages and they (overtly or covertly) rule your life, you should probably read this book.

On a personal note, this book helped me understand and reframe my own experience in ways that no other resource in my decade as a social worker has. I've always had privilege in the invisibility of many of my identities, but I also grew up with undiagnosed ADHD. Other identities notwithstanding, reframing my experience as a neurodiverse person in a neurotypical world as an experience of otherness has changed my understanding of myself, my experiences, and the way those experiences have sensitized my nervous system.

Professionally, this book has broadened the way that I think about otherness, and has broadened the way that I conceptualize and talk about trauma with my clients. I'm so glad to have this book on my bookshelf, and know that it's a resource I'll return to frequently.

This was a surprisingly good read! Not that I expected it to be bad, but I find most self-help books not helpful to me personally. This book actually spoke to me in ways that the other books couldn't. Although admittingly I am not ready to do the work to really heal from certain hurt, I found it to be valuable to even just recognizing where I'm hurting and reflect on my past (and present) othering experiences.

I had hoped to be writing a better review of this because when I read the description it seemed like something I would get good insight from.

But every chapter seemed to be pulling toward something in the next chapter, and then the next, while most of the "stories" from other "otherness" folks seemed I dunno....stale? I dunno, maybe I'm not the demographic for this. There were moments in it that I was like 'oh yeah I feel like that sometimes' but I feel like ALOT of people do and this didn't give me much insight in how to combat things except breathing exercises, visualizations, and one point...dancing.

It wasn't a bad book, I just didn't get what I felt I would from it.

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.