Facing Our Cumulative Developmental Traumas provides meaningful, creative, and useful answers to the question: How can we help others through their deep personal struggles without scaring them off? This question is central to love, to intimacy, and to psychotherapy.

It has now become clear that Cumulative Developmental Trauma is universal. That is, there is no way to grow up and walk the planet without being repeatedly swallowed up by emotional and relational demands from other people. When we become confused, frightened, and overwhelmed, our conscious and unconscious minds seek remedies to deal with the situation. Unfortunately many of the solutions developed in response to intrusive events turn into habitual fear reflexes that get in our way later in life, giving rise to post traumatic stress and relational inhibitions. This book is about freeing ourselves from the cumulative effects of our life’s many relational traumas and the after-effects of those traumas that continue to constrict our capacities for creative, spontaneous, and passionate living.

“In this book as in all his work, Larry urges us to be fully human, cheering us on while simultaneously mourning our early trauma with us. You will enjoy his deeply optimistic and loving vision while you read this book. You have chosen the guide for your next psychological and emotional adventure wisely.” –Marty Klein, Ph.D.