To Be Loved

I have to admit, I don't usually read much nonfiction on trauma, maybe because I endured a great deal of trauma myself growing up, and reading similar accounts often acts as a trigger to me. It was the title that helped me overcome that barried, to take a chance on "To Be Loved" by Dr. Frank G. Anderson. I'm pleased to report that it was well worth the time.

Anderson unfolds a narrative revealing the hidden trauma history behind his success. Familial abuse during his upbringing in an Italian American household did not dissuade him becoming a leading world figure in trauma therapy.

Anderson candidly shares his struggles as a gay individual facing harsh rejection that extended to him having to suffer conversion therapy in the 1970s. Through resilience, forgiveness, and embracing his truth, he navigates a path towards healing, illustrating the power of overcoming childhood trauma.

This intimate glimpse into Anderson's personal odyssey brings home the importance of resilience and self-discovery in the face of adversity. "To Be Loved" is a testament to resilience, offering hope and empowerment to survivors of childhood trauma, poignantly articulated through Anderson's journey of healing and forgiveness.

To Be Frank is a good read! We follow his journey from childhood realizing who he is and coming to terms with it through the years. The struggles and traumas Frank goes through are all too familiar for those of us in the LGBTQ+ community. Something I really liked about this book was the playlist of songs that go with each chapter. I think it was such a poignant way to reflect on each chapter! Definitely recommend!

Frank Anderson, passionate and compassionate trauma healer, reflects on the life that helped form him, turning him into the kind, confident and compassionate person we see today, and what a journey it's been. His story-telling ability, honed by his Italian family over dinners and parties, shares all manner of moments, some benign and entertaining, and many life-changing. Frank's writing evokes these memories expertly, stories interjected with snippets of dialogue that put you right in the moment of the scene.
His journey, not always as expected, covers the madcap antics of his family, his first relationships, the med-school experience, the surrogacy journey, the joys and struggles of parenting, coming out of a life defined by trauma, and finally forgiveness. So many of his experiences are awful, but he makes sense of them in a way that you too can make sense and helps us to see these things differently. As Frank learns, processes and grows, the wisdom and warmth come through. And don't despair, there is plenty of love and joy in there as well, we'd expect nothing less.
Hearing the voice of a gay man who has overcome childhood trauma and its impacts through life gives hope to all who can identify with him, who can hope too to find love, acceptance and belonging in life, shows it is all possible. A wonderful read, thank you to Frank for opening up his story to us.
Thank you NetGalley and PESI Publishing for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to netgalley for my ARC! I’m so happy I read this book. Frank’s story and resilience was inspiring. I’d give it more than 5 stars if I could!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC. To Be Loved is an exceptionally written memoir about the author’s journey of finding his identity. The memoir takes us through his childhood trauma through his own encounters in his adult life.

This is an extremely insightful memoir, and I enjoyed it immensely!

It's a memoir about trauma. I love hearing other people's stories. As someone who is studying child development, it is especially interesting to see what were those defining moments that shaped us throughout our lives. This is one of those books where I feel like the story speaks for itself. Cannot recommend it enough.