ADVANCE PRAISE FOR WHOLE AGAIN
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 codependency, 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, coauthor of I Hate YouDont Leave Me
Jacksons 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
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, developer of A Psychobiological Approach to Couple Therapy (PACT) and author of Wired for Love and We Do
Accessible, profound, and inspiring, the wisdom of Whole Again guides us inward to uncover deeply buried feelings and undigested pain that, left unaddressed, prevent us from experiencing our wholeness. Through consistent and cumulative practices, Jackson offers us a powerful, heart-centered, program that helps us heal, inhabit our lives more fully, and remember our wholeness.
Jillian Pransky, author of Deep Listening
Jackson MacKenzie so lovingly and transparently delves deeply into the trauma and sorrow that can stand in between us and our real selves. This groundbreaking, must-read book brilliantly and compassionately illuminates the path to healing. It is soul work at its finest.
Avery Neal, MA, LPC, author of If Hes So Great, Why Do I Feel So Bad?
A powerful and moving force for good, Whole Again is grounded in the authors own research and deep, knowing wisdom. Everyone should have this book on their shelf.
Erin Falconer, author of How to Get Sh*t Done and co-owner of pickthebrain.com
Ive read many books over the years about recovery from abuse, both self-help and clinical, and Whole Again is definitely one of the best. Though not a therapist himself, Mr. MacKenzie has done his homework. His descriptions of personality styles and disorders are not only accurate but also understandable. The book is filled with practical, well-researched, and well-organized suggestions to aid the recovery process. Its clear that Jackson MacKenzie cares deeply about the unique sensitivities of each reader. I love this book.
Catherine McCall, MS, (ret.) LMFT, author of the international bestseller Never Tell
This is a great book for recovering from any trauma or difficult relationship, including relationships with Cluster-B personalities. As Jackson MacKenzie says, its not what you thinkits what you feel. To thoroughly understand what that means, read this book. With this powerful information, anyone can become whole again.
Bill Eddy, LCSW, Esq., author of 5 Types of People Who Can Ruin Your Life
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Copyright 2019 by Jackson MacKenzie
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: MacKenzie, Jackson, author.
Title: Whole again : healing your heart and rediscovering your true self after toxic relationships and emotional abuse / Jackson MacKenzie; foreword by Shannon Thomas.
Description: New York : TarcherPerigee, 2019.
Identifiers: LCCN 2018053138| ISBN 9780143133315 (paperback) | ISBN 9780525505082 (ebook)
Subjects: LCSH: Self-actualization (Psychology) | Self. | Interpersonal relations. | BISAC: PSYCHOLOGY / Interpersonal Relations. | SELF-HELP / Personal Growth / Self-Esteem.
Classification: LCC BF637.S4 M264 2019 | DDC 155.2--dc23 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2018053138
Neither the publisher nor the author is engaged in rendering professional advice or services to the individual reader. The ideas, procedures, and suggestions contained in this book are not intended as a substitute for consulting with your physician. All matters regarding your health require medical supervision. Neither the author nor the publisher shall be liable or responsible for any loss or damage allegedly arising from any information or suggestion in this book.
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Dedicated to
Granddad and Uncle Win
CONTENTS
FOREWORD
Beautiful.
Jackson MacKenzie has written a beautiful book full of love, support, and grace that lights a pathway to healing the emptiness that can haunt anyone.
Jackson highlights that out of the ashes of hurts and life wounds, it is human nature to develop what is called the protective self. We create this hard shell to keep ourselves safe from feeling empty. The sad double-edged sword of this outer armor is that our core wound stays intact within the center of our being, and is never adequately healed. We even attempt to ignore its existence. Despite these efforts, we know its there because when we stop running from it, we feel the quiet whispers from the wound as it calls out to us. It can be frightening to stop running and stand still in our discomfort, fears, resentments, numbness, or unsteady emotions.
Jackson asks us to listen to what the wound is saying. This feels counterintuitive, but he shows us that until we stop to compassionately notice the whispers, we will forever carry our wounds with us. As a fellow survivor of trauma, I have no interest in burying the exact poison that has the power to steal aspects of my life. Wounds must be fully healed, or we fall into the mere management of our symptoms.
In Jacksons first best-selling book, Psychopath Free, he zeroed in on the world of emotional abuse while being the target of a narcissist, sociopath, or psychopath. As a survivor himself, Jackson experienced the challenges of finding restoration after intense abuse. Whole Again is the outcome of Jacksons personal journey. The beauty within