In this autobiographical book, Peter A. Levine—the man who changed the way psychologists, doctors, and therapists understand and treat trauma and abuse—shares his own journey toward healing his deep childhood trauma and the major steps that led him to create the Somatic Experiencing (SE) method.

Presenting himself as a modern-day Chiron, the wounded healer of Greek mythology, Levine describes in detail the violence of his childhood years alongside specific happy memories, and how being guided through SE allowed him to shed light on and resolve his traumatic experiences. He also shares the mysterious and unexpected dreams and visions that guided his life’s work, including the dreamlike “visits” from Albert Einstein, whom he sees as his personal spiritual guide and mentor.

Explaining how he helped thousands of others before resolving his own trauma, he analyzes how the SE method emerged from his studies of wild animals in their natural environment, neurobiology, and more than 50 years of clinical observation. Levine teaches us that every person suffering from trauma has a valuable story to tell, and that by telling our stories, we can spark the return of hope, dignity, and wholeness.