I am excited to announce that my book cover is ready and share the story behind it.
The image on the front cover—a delicate bird standing in oversized boots—serves as a powerful metaphor for the weight of traumatic memories. The bird, small and fragile, stands as a symbol of the inner child: innocent, vulnerable, and often silenced by early adversity. The boots, large for its frame, represent the burdens of the past—heavy, cumbersome, and not entirely its own. Yet, these boots are not just burdens; they are also vessels of history. They contain stories, longings, injuries, and survival strategies that, though inconvenient, form the ground on which the bird now stands. Much like the ghosts of childhood memories explored in therapy, these boots are clumsy and overwhelming, but they also ground the bird, allowing it to remain upright.
In this tension—between disproportionate weight and steady footing—the image reveals something essential about trauma work: that the very memories we fear may also contain the seeds of our strength. With time, courage, and therapeutic support, even the most painful recollections can become a foundation. We do not outgrow these boots, nor can we cast them aside. But we can learn to stand in them—awkwardly at first, then more confidently—until their weight transforms into wisdom, resilience, and emotional clarity.
Acknowledgements
A heartfelt thank you to my former client, whose remarkable journey through four years of therapy concluded with a gift more moving than words—a drawing of a small bird in oversized boots. The image she created at the end of our work together, now graces the cover of this book.
PTSD treatment 