Whole Again

Healing Your Heart and Rediscovering Your True Self After Toxic Relationships and Emotional Abuse

By: Jackson MacKenzie, Shannon Thomas - foreword

Narrated by: Kaleo Griffith, Erin Spencer

Length: 8 hrs and 22 mins

Publisher's summary

From a leading voice on recovering from toxic relationships, a deeply insightful guide to getting back to your "old self" again - in order to truly heal and move on.

Jackson MacKenzie has helped millions of people in their struggle to understand the experience of toxic relationships. His first book, Psychopath Free, explained how to identify and survive the immediate situation. In this highly anticipated new audiobook, he guides listeners on what to do next - how to fully heal from abuse in order to find love and acceptance for the self and others.

Through his work with thousands of survivors of abusive relationships, Jackson discovered that survivors frequently have symptoms of trauma lasting long after the relationship is over. These may include feelings of numbness and emptiness, depression, mood swings, isolation, perfectionism, rumination, caretaking and people-pleasing, a need for control, physical maladies, substance abuse, and more.

But he also found that it is possible to work through these symptoms and find fulfillment and love on the other side. In Whole Again, he shares insights and tools for working through the protective self we've developed so that we can finally move on to live a full and authentic life - to once again feel light, free, whole, and ready to give and receive love.

Like Brené Brown's The Gifts of Imperfection and John Bradshaw's Healing the Shame that Binds You, Whole Again offers hope and multiple strategies to anyone who has survived a toxic relationship, as well as anyone suffering the effects of a breakup involving lying, cheating, and other forms of abuse - to release old wounds and safely let the love back inside where it belongs.

©2019 Jackson MacKenzie and Shannon Thomas (P)2019 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

“In Whole Again, Jackson MacKenzie lays open some of his own personal wounds to advise on how scars from past traumas can heal. He describes how development of a ‘protective self’ can provide acute, numbing relief from emotional pain, but at the expense of more enduring self-acceptance. MacKenzie addresses co-dependency, addiction, post-traumatic stress, and borderline, narcissistic, and other personality disorders, outlining pathways to achieve forgiveness and discharging shame. This book may help fill in the holes that can make you whole again.” (Jerold Kreisman, MD, co-author of I Hate You, Don’t Leave Me: Understanding the Borderline Personality)

"Jackson’s book is an empathetic gem of true knowing. Dismantling the effects of trauma can be a daunting undertaking. Whole Again is a compassionate guide. It takes your hand and encourages you to keep going, prompting you to build a power base of self-discovery that takes you home to yourself. All true healing happens within, which in turn offers you the miracle of hope." (Sarah Brassard, author of Inside: A Guide to the Resources Within to Stay Connected to Your Truth, Even in Trying Times)

"In Whole Again, Jackson MacKenzie has synthesized the important basic principles and tools of healing and writes in a style that is both warm and articulate. Whole Again offers a good starting point for those not yet ready for therapy or in conjunction with therapy. It is almost impossible to deal effectively on your own with the effects of trauma and abuse, but having a supportive community and using the simple tools in this book can help you begin the journey toward healing." (Stan Tatkin, PsyD, MFT, founder of A Psychobiological Approach to Couple Therapy® [PACT], and author of Wired for Love and We Do: Saying Yes to a Relationship of Depth, True Connection, and Enduring Love)

WOW!

I'm so impressed with the author's transformed outlook since writing Psychopath Free. This book very clearly explains how he progressed from the difficult early stages of awareness into mindfulness, acceptance and discovering tools to love oneself from within. It's inspiring and liberating to think we all possess the heart space required to protect ourselves from abuse and attract better associates, companions and partnerships... without hatred for those trespassers against us.

Can’t live without it!!

This book saved me!! I have read it over and over again and I learn something every time. I went through a horrible toxic relationship and this book helped me so much. Very inspirational, the author explains everything in simple terms!!

Explained so much, opened my eyes

This book was gifted to me from a true friend. The context of the person story delivered by Jackson MacKenzie is wonderful and relatable to anyone who has suffered at the mind of a sociopath. I was stunned into reality and could finally beginning the healing process after years of psychological abuse at the hands of my mother and someone I thought was a friend. It felt like I was punched in the chest when I realised a person I thought was a friend did exactly what Jackson described during his relationship. Thank you so much for this book.

Joyfully Whole Again!

After years of trying Everything to find relief from a lifetime of emotional abuse and it’s effects on my life I know feel free from the suffering:). I know have the insight to understand challenges and feel free and joyful wonderfully excited about life!Thank you Jackson for presenting a mindful loving path to true recovery. I am so very grateful 💛

I loooove this book! IT LIFTS SOULS!

I love this book. It is a 'must have' for EVERYONE! For me, it has been my MOOD BIBLE. It delves so deeply into to soul, pain, and the reactions that pain produces. The author's testimony is a God send to help others heal. Thank you so very much for allowing yourself to endure this pain to help others. OK.. Going in for my second listen 🤗

Magnificent!

I chose this book out of curiosity, healing and moving towards the future in my life. I loved this book..I'm going to read it again and keep it as a guide and source in my healing for the rest of my life. Thank you for sharing this book. Highly recommend :)

great and therapeutic listen

amazing readers, great articulating and vocals. story is strong and the therapy points are str9ng

Great listening

Loved the metaphors used in this book, really helped me see things from a different point of view. Helped me change the narrative of what's happened.

When you’re ready for it ….

Had downloaded this as I began searching for answers in the loss and outcome of what I thought could have been a toxic relationship. When I felt like I was in a bad place in my recovery I started this book and immediately played again. Now on my third run. I just don’t think words have ever stung or rung so true. That my feelings were articulated so tragically and truthfully blew me away. May I not repeat the hard lessons learned here.

I am my ow. worst enemy

profoundly helpful, thank you for homework & guidance that was, once implemented set me free.