Reclaim: Understanding Complex Trauma and Those Who Abuse

A groundbreaking book that will broaden and expand your thinking, whether you are a trauma survivor, a clinician, someone who loves a survivor, or someone seeking to understand abuse.

The relationship between trauma and mental health is becoming better recognized, but survivors and professionals alike remain confused about how best to understand and treat it. In Reclaim, through a series of case studies and expert analysis, Dr Ahona Guha explores complex traumas, how survivors can recover and heal, and the nature of those who abuse. She shines a light on the ‘difficult’ trauma victims that society often ignores, and tackles vital questions such as, ‘Why are we failing the victims of intimate partner violence?, ‘What kinds of behaviors should we see as red flags?’, and ‘Why do some people harm others, and how do we protect ourselves from them?’

As a clinical and forensic psychologist, Dr Guha has had extensive experience in working with those who perpetrate harm―including stalkers, sex offenders, violent offenders, and those who threaten, bully and harass―and she has a deep understanding of the psychological and social factors that cause people to abuse others. In turn, her clinical work in the trauma treatment field has led her to recognize the enormous impacts of complex trauma, and the failures of systems when working with those who have been victimized.

By emphasizing compassion above all, Dr Guha calls for us to become better informed about perpetrators and the needs of victims, so we might reclaim a safer, healthier society for everyone. 

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. You can find out more about her work at www.ahonaguha.com.