Scots psychotherapist and Harvest Clinic founder Angela Trainer launches new book The Beauty Of Broken, the story of her breast cancer ordeal and a guide to coping with trauma

The Beauty Of Broken is the story of one woman’s journey through breast cancer diagnosis, surgery, treatment and recovery – but it is so much more than that.

Glasgow author, psychotherapist and Harvest Clinic founder Angela Trainer called upon her decades of experience and her sprawling network of experts and texts, to navigate her way through her ordeal – and the techniques, advice and inspirations she used can be applied to ANY trauma in your own life.

So this book is not just for people with cancer – it’s for people, period. Whatever issues you have faced or are facing, The Beauty Of Broken can help you deal with them and emerge intact, or even better than before.

Angela said: “The things I discovered along the way and the approaches I tried and tested can relate to any life challenge, any traumatic experience and that certainly has been the feedback that I have had so far.

“People going through all sorts of adversity have been able to relate and connect with that sense of alienation, isolation, how we deal with shock, how we deal with turning things around, how we find the strength inside, the resilience.

“We are all broken and I think it’s part of why we are here. I think we have to be broken open to find the deeper well inside. It’s not an accident, it’s not a mistake, I believe it’s part of the journey here in Earth school.

“Even people whose lives are going well, it’s good preparation for when the going does get tough, because I don’t believe anyone escapes.”

Angela’s first book, Love Never Dies, was about preparing for and dealing with the loss of her beloved father. This sequel was never planned, it just happened – when she received her shock diagnosis while preparing for publication of her debut.

“I wrote a book about loss and grieving after my father’s diagnosis and death – it was social media posts, a blog I had written. I later discovered there seemed to be a huge benefit, people were sharing, asking for copies.

“Then I had my own cancer diagnosis and I decided to continue my own therapeutic journal of writing about my experiences. As a psychotherapist I know the value of reflective and introspective writing, journaling and I did that again with my own diagnosis and journey.

“After is often the part that people leave out, the part after the drama or after the rain. People need to learn to live with a lot of medical diagnoses. Not just cancer but how do you live afterwards, how do we live post-trauma?”

Angela found writing down her thoughts and feelings helped immeasurably and hopes her book – like the previous one – may help others face their own challenges in a better, more prepared way.

“What I hope to achieve with it is to transform my challenges and suffering into something beautiful. Just like the title of the book, The Beauty Of Broken. It’s based on the concept of Kintsugi, the Japanese form of art where a broken vase or bowl is more precious and valuable when it’s been repaired with what they call golden joinery or golden glue.

“My hope is that I can transfer what I learned, what was helpful, what was useful and what didn’t work – and how that can be applied in other people’s lives. So if I can share those experiences and learnings and provide some kind of toolbox that may help some other people, that is the goal.”

Book is available on Amazon, paperback & kindle. All profits to the 2 charities https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0BJGV4QMZ

For review copies, interview requests or any further info, contact Mickey McMonagle at Dirt Comms – mickey@dirtcomms.net