Outshining Trauma

A New Vision of Radical Self-Compassion Integrating Internal Family Systems and Buddhist Meditation

By: Ralph De La Rosa

Narrated by: Ralph De La Rosa

Discover a path of healing, post-traumatic growth, spiritual insight, and deep compassion for the most challenging parts of yourself

Therapist and meditation teacher Ralph De La Rosa places the innovative, evidence-based model of Internal Family Systems (IFS) in the context of Buddhist meditation to show that the process of healing trauma can lead you to your deepest spiritual nature. This book offers clear conceptual frameworks to understand trauma, post-traumatic growth, and the close relationship between healing trauma and spirituality.

The many journal prompts, experiential practices, and guided meditations will teach you how to:

• See that your mind is made up of disparate “parts” that carry their own views and intentions that can become stuck in traumatic experiences;
• Recognize common types of inner parts in the IFS model, such as “Managers,” “Firefighters,” and “Exiles;”
• Separate from a part inside of you that’s holding grief, pain, or other difficult feelings and then elicit its concerns and wisdom;
• And utilize meditation as a method for opening to transformative self-compassion and self-love.

A survivor himself of depression, PTSD, and addiction, De La Rosa shares gripping, inspirational life stories to demonstrate the path of outshining trauma.

©2024 Ralph De La Rosa (P)2024 Shambhala Publications

Insightful and readily approachable

Hearing this book read by the author, who died last year, added to the power of this book. His vulnerable sharing of his own life and process, his humble insight into both internal family systems and Buddhist practices, and the humor laced throughout this book made it an incredibly moving experience. I know I will revisit it again to deepen my own meditation practice, and to grow in my relationship with my own parts. If you have any interest in your own healing and growth, I would highly recommend this book.

Beyond good

I have been on a healing journey now for some time. I have voraciously consumed books, podcast, courses on trauma, meditation, therapy. This book beautifully synthesizes the best of all the wisdom of what I’ve learned thus far.

Must read for anyone interested in IFS and contemplative wisdom

I’ve been studying and practicing Buddhism for 20+ years and more recently I’ve been interested and working personally with IFS. I couldn’t believe there was a book that spoke to both.

I feel this book brings a depth and nuance to trauma healing that I’ve not come across before. And more than anything, it’s helped me feel hopeful, inspired and clear about my own healing journey,

I will be listening again and again and will be recommending this book to many.

I’m an avid listener of audible and every now and then I have to pause a book to quickly buy the hard copy too. This is one of those books.