Reclaim

‘What drew me to this book was the fact that its author works as both a clinical and forensic psychologist. As someone with a trauma history I’m always looking for new better ways to manage its impacts. As someone with a psychology degree (the most expensive piece of paper I own) I am interested in the why behind the what when people act in ways that victimise others. I love that this book delves into something that most people conveniently ignore: sometimes a person is both victim and perpetrator … A blend of theory and case studies (composites so as not to breach confidentiality) this book would be of interest to both trauma survivors and those who work in helping professions.’

‘Powerfully, accessibly, and with a clinician’s depth of detail, Dr Guha writes directly about the violence we prefer to drape in darkness. She shows that it is only by seeking to understand its causes and consequences that we can work towards creating safer, fairer communities. I’m grateful to her for this illuminating, and urgently necessary, book.‘

“Reclaim gave me a better understanding of my own trauma. Huge gratitude to Dr Guha for this well-crafted book … A must-read for everyone.”

‘In a world that so often turns away from the complexities of trauma and abuse, this book turns towards them … Reclaim is a game-changer.’

‘Reclaim is for victims of abuse, for their families and loved ones, but above all for anyone who wants to understand human behaviour.’

‘Reclaim is one of those books I will revisit again, whenever I need to process certain events or experiences.’

‘Dr Guha provides a highly accessible work that covers a lot of ground, and is illustrated by composite case studies of her own patients, and some detail about her own experience of trauma … Reclaim is a fascinating insight into different types of trauma, survivors, abusers, institutional abuse and invites the reader to enter a full and open discussion about these issues … This book is a nuanced exploration of the nature of trauma, the people it affects, and how we might, both as individuals and as a society, reduce its harm.’

‘Guha’s willingness to confront this murky terrain is courageous, a clinical psychologist and forensic expert, has penned a book about trauma that is not literary, academic, or self-help: it is a clear-eyed analysis by a professionally qualified, socially engaged and intimately informed author. Guha purportedly wrote the book to redress fallacies in “a world that is beset by trauma.” … The most admirable thing [Reclaim] is its advocacy for those caught in the darkest realms of trauma’s slipstream: the least likeable among us, who act out in the most socially unacceptable ways. Guha demands we seek to understand not only traumatised sweethearts (those who invite sympathy) but also people who exhibit alienating, infuriating or frightening trauma-fuelled traits … Reclaim [pushes] back against common value judgements that less traumatised – and more privileged – people make about those living with complex trauma … by looking around soberly – and inviting us to build a “trauma-informed community” and move toward a more just future.’

‘[Reclaim] is an excellent starting point for anyone wanting clarification about the impact of trauma, with further information on where to find therapy and support.’

‘While there are brilliant authors in the fields of domestic violence and trauma recovery, Dr Guha synthesises the fields so that they’re easy to navigate, offering a compassionate way forward—in gender-neutral language—for both victim and perpetrator.’

Dr. Ahona Guha is a clinical and forensic psychologist who works with both victims and perpetrators of abuse. Her first book, Reclaim: understanding complex trauma and those who abuse was published in 2023, and her second, Life Skills for a Broken World was published in 2024. She writes widely for the media on matters related to mental health, health, social justice, and equity. Her work has appeared in The Age, The Guardian, The Saturday Paper, Breathe Magazine, SBS, and ABC.