MSI Press Blog

  PTSD Awareness Month matters because trauma is far more common—and far more misunderstood—than most people realize. Trauma is not defined by the event itself but by what happens inside a person when their nervous system is overwhelmed beyond its ability to cope. It is a physiological injury, not a character flaw. And recovery is not about “getting over it,” but about helping the body and brain learn to feel safe again. People often imagine PTSD as flashbacks, nightmares, or dramatic reactions. Those can happen, but the truth is quieter and more complicated. Trauma can look like exhaustion that never lifts. Irritability that feels out of character. Difficulty concentrating. A body that startles too easily. A mind that shuts down under stress. A heart that wants connection but fears it at the same time. And here’s the part we don’t talk about enough: trauma is not a life sentence. The nervous system is built for healing. With the right support—therapy, community, safety, predictabi...

   This week's editor's choice is Chris Richards' book, Nothing So Broken . Book description:  In the shadow of loss, a path to healing begins. Chris Richards grew up in a small New England mill town, where life was tough and loyalty ran deep. At just 19, his world was shaken when a close friend was left permanently disabled by a devastating accident. At the same time, Chris’s father began to show troubling symptoms linked to his service in the Vietnam War—unseen wounds that would slowly unravel the man he once knew. The weight of watching two people he loved unravel under the strain of trauma and physical decline left deep scars—ones Chris carried silently into adulthood. For years, he buried his grief and fear, never imagining that one day, facing his own crisis, he would turn to their stories for strength. This powerful and moving memoir explores the enduring impact of trauma, the quiet power of resilience, and how even the most broken lives can become sources of inspi...

 This week's editor's choice is  Chris Richards' book,  Nothing So Broken . Book description:  In the shadow of loss, a path to healing begins. Chris Richards grew up in a small New England mill town, where life was tough and loyalty ran deep. At just 19, his world was shaken when a close friend was left permanently disabled by a devastating accident. At the same time, Chris’s father began to show troubling symptoms linked to his service in the Vietnam War—unseen wounds that would slowly unravel the man he once knew. The weight of watching two people he loved unravel under the strain of trauma and physical decline left deep scars—ones Chris carried silently into adulthood. For years, he buried his grief and fear, never imagining that one day, facing his own crisis, he would turn to their stories for strength. This powerful and moving memoir explores the enduring impact of trauma, the quiet power of resilience, and how even the most broken lives can become sources of ...