Review of Thriving in the Storm

[Maren Kristina Mueller]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Thriving in the Storm" by Bill Murphy.]

---

3 out of 5 stars

---

Share This Review

---

Thriving in the Storm by William Murphy does not re-invent the wheel compared to all the other personal accounts and self-help books for people suffering from PTSD that are currently out there. However, it is an engaging read due to the relatable style and lively account of personal experiences. Additionally, Murphy sprinkles in stories and experiences from other people, people he knew or met, that flesh out his 9 principles of weathering life's storms. Murphy's degrees in psychology and counseling lend credence to his professional familiarity with Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) and PTSD. It is surprising, however, that he does not specify that his is a case of CPTSD (Complex-PTSD) rather than PTSD - a distinction which would be helpful for the layperson reader and anyone with experiences like Murphy’s looking for explanations of their behavior.
Furthermore, the book might hold a particular appeal for special interest readers. Readers who are themselves avid runners or triathletes, like the author, as they might be able to relate to the passages pertaining to training and strenuous physical activity on a deeper level. But even for the reader who is not a marathon or martial arts afficionado the book has some value, especially because of its bite-sized portions and concrete tips for self-help.
Ultimately, the advice Murphy gives – nicely wrapped in 9 principles – is stock advice. The advice is generic – useful for anyone who faces life's ordinary challenges and wants to brush up on coping strategies. It is neither uniquely helpful for people who specifically do suffer from ACE related effects in adulthood, nor does it offer novel advice for anyone else. The same kind of exercises and paraphrased principles can be found in other self-help books written about the topic and no clinical diagnosis is needed to get something out of doing the journaling exercises Murphy presents throughout.
Thriving in the Storm is a 3 out of 5, garden variety self-help book that has a special ‘flavor’ only because of the autobiographical information and account of the author's personal experiences as well as its special interest flair not because of its substance. Only the reader who is a novice to self-help companions might find it not completely redundant and indeed a good starting point to begin their journey back to mental health. Everyone else will consider it little more than just an interesting pasttime read.

******
Thriving in the Storm
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon