Weakening Trauma’s Grip: Psychotherapist Shares His Own Story and Journey Toward Wholeness

Midwest Book Review calls his critically acclaimed new book “an extraordinary, compelling, and intensely personal life story and psychological study.”

MURRIETA, CA, UNITED STATES, February 27, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- In his deeply personal new book, Trauma is a Thief, Dr. Neal King charts the transformation of a life consumed by trauma and his decades-long battle to silence its deafening roar. Trauma is now a whisper, he says, ever-present but no longer in control.

“We have the ability to diminish its power by confronting it, by embracing it, by understanding it,” King said.

As a child growing up in Southern California, trauma was woven inextricably into the fabric of King’s day-to-day life. Born into a profoundly disturbed family, led by his pedophile/sociopath/military officer father, he experienced various forms of trauma, including sexual and physical abuse, abandonment, and the prevalence of addiction among family members. These early experiences left indelible marks on his psyche, influencing not only his personal life but also his professional trajectory.

He grew up to become a leader in international education, a licensed psychologist and professor of psychology, and eventually, the president of both Antioch University Los Angeles and the International Association of University Presidents. He has dedicated his life to deepening his understanding of trauma and aiding those with similar lived experiences.

In Trauma is a Thief, King draws back the curtain on his traumatic childhood, connecting the dots with remarkable candor, compassion and impartiality to offer his own story as a “case study” to inform others whose lives have been impacted by trauma.

“Whatever its form or context, trauma is invariably a thief. It steals something essential from you that you can never fully recover,” King writes.

Memoir-like but woven with professional insights from King’s own training and research as well as the wisdom of Carl Jung, Trauma is a Thief delves deeply into how King survived, the price he paid to survive, and how his trauma continues to live inside and inform him even today.

“I have battled mightily to be here today to share this tale with you — in hopes that if you or someone you love has suffered their own trauma, my tale might render some comfort, serve as a resource, or help you feel seen and understood,” he writes.

King’s new book is designed for fellow survivors of trauma, those who love them, and those who study and work with them.

About the Author
Dr. Neal King, a cisgender gay male, has served as psychologist/psychotherapist, professor of psychology, author, keynote speaker and college president in his professional life. He has worked with multiple survivors of trauma in his clinical practice. In Trauma is a Thief, he applies the same case study methodology he used in his dissertation at UC Berkeley to his own lived experience in a deeply disturbed family. King is recognized for his contributions to LGBTQ and general population trauma issues through his research and clinical work. He focuses on the psychological impacts of trauma both to the LGBTQ community and more broadly, including the effects of discrimination, violence and marginalization.

An avid photographer who loves to travel, devour fiction and tend the roses, King lives with his partner of many years, Peter, in Southern California. Find King on LinkedIn at Neal King, PhD.

Trauma is a Thief
Publisher: Halo International
Paperback: 326 pages
ISBN-13: ‎978-1637656440
Available from https://www.amazon.com/Trauma-Thief-Neal-King/dp/1637656440

Trish Stevens
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