Rating: 
Summary: Wonderfully helpful book
Review: I was frankly very surprised at the very negative reviews for this book, so I decided to write one of my own. I purchased this book on the advice of my therapist, and it was a great help to me. Basically, it reassured me that I was not alone, that it was natural to be feeling the feelings I was having, and frankly gave me hope. It really helped between therapy visits, and since I've been released from therapy, it helps me during my difficult moments.I strongly feel that anyone who suspects or knows of a history of abuse should find a good therapist (just like someone with cancer should find a good MD), but I think this book augments well the work done during therapy. I've recommended this book and the companion workbook for a few friends and acquaintances, all of whom are educated, self-aware people, and all of whom have found it a wonderful, very comforting resource. I'm sorry for those who have "recovered" memories that were inaccurate, but frankly I've never "recovered" anything, nor do I care to. I never felt that recovering memories was ever the focus of the book. Instead, I felt that it offered a reassuring road map towards recovery of my sense of self, and my ability to live in the present rather than letting an abusive past rob all my power. I'm sorry that some people have apparently misused this book, but any information can be misused. Look at how various religious texts have been misused throughout history (the Bible, the Koran, etc.), yet I don't hear anyone calling for their removal from society. If you want to be a "thriver," not just a survivor, then get a good therapist, buy this book, and take care of yourself.
Rating: 
Summary: Very light reading
Review: This books is gentle, compassionate, and warm.
But those are not the only things required to make a good book on recovery.
Because the other side of the coin here, is that while the book is written in "nice" words, this at times, comes across as overly "fluffy" and "sugary". There is great emphasise on finding a therapist, and the book is filled with warnings on "taking things gently". Well, if you have experianced sexual abuse, you'll know yourself, that living through each day is certainly not "gentle". It's certainly not as if one can just take a break from their suffering and chaos, and say "Oh gee, perhaps it's time to relax a little and take a break from my pain for an hour". This book assumes that suffering is something we do in our spare time while we are not at work, or while the kids are out. Personally, I question the credit of anyone who says they are recovering form trauma, but yet still manages to find time to have a peaceful coffee with friends after their meditation session. Yikes! Life after abuse is just not that sweet! To me, I was unable to relate to this book. It just didn't seem to do justice to the chaotic confused nightmare that consitutes my life. It seems as if sexual abuse suffering has become a fashionble hobby! Many places on the internet have become like sexual abuse social clubs, with people competeing for the best symptoms and the worst experiances. Real sufferers certainly do not have the time to play such stupid games. They are far too busy with their consuming pain to do this. This book made me feel very alien to what it believes a sufferer "should" be. As for the recovered memory debate. This is my 2 cents worth: Myself, I have very little recollection of the abuse I experianced. Although it has been verified physically (when I was raped, I was found bleeding). I have no desire to go chasing memories that my mind does not want to recall, and I am wary of any book that puts such extreme emphasis on the importance of remembering.
Only you yourself can tell you if you have been abused. You don't need a book for that. My last words on this book: If you are after some comforting words, you may enjoy this. But myself, I am after something challanging and lasting. Something confronting, that gives me insight into exactly why I am feeling this way. I don't want to hear: "You been abused so of course you will have problems with the realtionship between strength and weakness"... I want to understand WHY my life has evolved this way... Exactly HOW did the abuse cause this struggle.
I needed a much stronger book than this. But if you are such a sensitive person that you need to be warned to take a break when you can't handle things, and to ring up a therapist when you are suicidal (as if you need to be locked away in a ward so you don't "hurt yourself". Geez, whatever happened to a person's right to chose what happens to their own life?). And if you're one of those people that need the words "S*xual abuse" blocked out of your websites so that you can read it without breaking apart; Then you'd possibly enjoy this. Possibly, though, you just ought to take a good lay down too.
Rating:
Summary: This book saved my life.
Review: I cannot more highly recommend this book, as it truly saved my life. I carried it with me everywhere, read it 'till it was dogeared, and when a "therapist" tried to destroy me (see the review by someone who MUST be in the "helping professions" who calls memories "paranoid"), this book once again saved my life. Thanks to the authors and the following books which have been written, since this landmark book came out, that can truly help us to find, finally, and at long last, "resolution" in our lives. I also love the Course in Miracles books and the co-dependent books by Melody Beatty. God truly works in Mysterious Ways.
Rating:
Summary: Beautiful! Beautiful! Beautiful!
Review: This book is amazing. For a while, it was the only book I'd read, it's the only book that I take excerpts out of and hang on my walls, and it's the only book so far that has helped me heal. It is a great resource for anyone, survivor or not.
Rating: 
Summary: This book was instrumental in helping me cope....
Review: ...unfortunately it's gotten a bad rap and yes--it is a little out of date. Too many people are so quick to try and deny the validity of recovered memories and they don't want to accept that in our society, child sexual abuse is rampant. The good ole' boys network is alive and well in this case. I found this book to be proactive, and it helped me deal with my anger, my rage and my feelings of helplessness. It helped me move on with my life. Let's remember that it's the abused who need the help; the abusers know what they are doing, they know it's wrong, and they must take responsibility for their actions and face up to the crimes they commit. There's nothing they can ever do to right the situations they cause--there's no way they can ever make it up and that's just reality.
Rating:
Summary: At last, I can say Thank You for this book!
Review: As a survivor of childhood sexual abuse by my father, I spent years in therapy dealing with ALL the other issues of growing up feeling defective, but I could not really discuss or deal with the abuse stuff. ... Then one day, many years ago, I came across this book-The Courage to Heal. I had finally found the tool to help me out of my personal hell. What made this book different? The FEELINGS, not the stories. How the women/girls managed to go on living. The creative methods that became tools for survival. The gently way it prodded me to become empowered in my quest to be a person instead of a victim. I could read that kind of stuff. AND I could take a tiny baby step toward healing. Because of this book I was able to finally begin my recovery. It was not fast, and it was not easy, but it was a path, a start, a way out of hell. I have given copies of it away to others. I have reccomended it to every woman who has ever confided to me that she was sexually abused. I am so grateful for the wonderful women who wrote this book, and now I am so very glad to be able to say THANK YOU!
Rating: 
Summary: Helpful book; now out of date in some ways
Review: The Courage to Heal was at the center of a firestorm of controversy about false accusations and false memories. The earlier editions of The Courage to Heal had inflammatory language about belief in memories, which was toned down in the third edition. The main problem with the Courage to Heal is that it is now out of date as far as recommended treatment methods are concerned. This is not Bass and Davis's fault; they certainly did their part. That's why I found it hard to assign a number of stars to this book. I decided that for relevance in today's world, it's relevant but it has flaws. That's why in the end, I gave it three stars. This book is not current enough to be recommended without qualifications, in my opinion. But Bass and Davis deserve a tremendous amount of credit for bringing this problem out into the light. The hysteria of some of the attacks against them confirms the fact that it took courage for them to publish this book in the first place, and sign their names to it.
Rating:
Summary: Finally, I see my thoughts on paper.
Review: I read this book about 5 years ago. I had many indications and a strong feeling that I may have been sexually abused but no memories. This book was recommended to me when I asked a counselor how I could deal with this issue. When I read the book I felt so relieved. It was like seeing my own thoughts on paper. I underlined the parts that I really related to. This book supported what I was already feeling but it did not put new thoughts into my head. When any severe trauma occurs your mind might protect you by forgetting. But not everyone forgets. I got no specific memories as a result of reading this book. I learned so much by reading this book. It gave me reassurance to seek out the kind of help I needed to work through this issue. It was written so well too - down to earth and understandable. I would definitely recommend this book.
Rating:
Summary: This book saved my life!!!
Review: I'm a sibling incest survivor, and have done five years of therapy to become the whole, wonderful person I am now. I could not have done it without this book. It was my Bible, especially for the first year of healing. The authors are so supportive and loving. I highly recommend this book to anyone who suffered any kind of sexual abuse as a child.
Rating:
Summary: Victim No More
Review: This book helped me to see who I am, not that scared child that I was. The little girl who for so long wanted to die never thinking she was worthy of love or attention.
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