Healing Resources

—This is a small collection of helpful books, online articles, videos, and teachers that we’ve found to be healing and supportive, as well as enlightening about the subject of ethical behavior within Dharma groups. We hope that you will find something that touches and enriches you. And please share your suggestions in the comments section!

Free Books – download here.

Ford, Wendy_ Recovery from Abusive Groups

Herman_Trauma-and-Recovery 

Checklists

If you’re not sure if you were in an abusive group or not, try these checklists:

SPIRITUALLY_ABUSIVE_SYSTEMS

Emotional_Abuse_Checklist 

 Group_Psych_Abuse_Scale

Websites

Healing after your teacher crosses a line
Trauma Bonding

 

Teachers not Gods

Resistence, Surrender and Karma

How Will You See The Guru?

Trauma Bonding 

Emotional Attachments in Abusive Relationships: A Test of Traumatic Bonding Theory

Confronting Abuse: Be Proactive

Guideline for Spiritually Abused Persons

The Open Minds Foundation  A website with articles and other resources concerning undue coercion and manipulation.

reFocus A support and referral organization for former members of high demand groups, relationships and cults

Religious Trauma Syndrome

Journey Free – a group dedicated to helping people transition out of harmful religions, recover from trauma, and rebuild their lives

Ted Talks

Brene Brown – The Power Of Vulnerability
Brene Brown – Listening To Shame

Facebook

Beating Trauma

Books

The Book of Joy: Lasting Happiness in a Changing World – Dalai Lama, Desmond Tutu, Douglas Abrams
Beyond Religion – His Holiness the Dalai Lama
Confession of a Buddhist Atheist – Stephen Batchelor (Not at all like the title. Actually a good historical study on Buddhism, as well as very interesting details from his attendance at the conference in ‘93 with His Holiness the Dalai Lama.)
Loving Kindness – Sharon Salzberg
The Joy Diet – Martha Beck
The Mindful Path To Self Compassion – Christopher Germer, PhD

Teachers

Tsoknyi Rinpoche https://www.fullybeing.org

Practice Tools

After studying and practicing for years, we all have practice tools that help us heal. Several that have been recommended lately are:
Tonglen
Vajrasattva
Shamatha/Vipassana