Flowers in the Dark

Praise

“What a profound and hopeful book! It offers the best practical wisdom for life’s worst experiences. Sister Dang Nghiem integrates the neuroscience of trauma, effective treatments, and the penetrating insights of mindfulness training. She writes with such clarity and heart that you feel comforted and supported by her presence on every page. A beautiful book, and highly recommended.”
—Rick Hanson, PhD, author of Buddha’s Brain: The Practical Neuroscience of Happiness, Love, and Wisdom

“Through her own story and those of many others, Sister Dang Nghiem, MD, offers a path to healing from childhood sexual abuse through mindfulness … a path that allows one to reclaim their childhood and move forward in their lives and to heal what for many is a very deep wound. A book that every victim of childhood sexual abuse should read. Powerful and poignant.”  
—James R. Doty, MD, founder and director of the Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education (CCARE) at Stanford University School of Medicine and New York Times best-selling author of Into the Magic Shop: A Neurosurgeon’s Quest to Discover the Mysteries of the Brain and the Secrets of the Heart

“In this accessible and insightful work, Buddhist nun and former physician Dang Nghiem (Healing) outlines an approach to healing from trauma by using Buddhism-inspired mindfulness. Nghiem instructs readers in meditation, breathing techniques, and self-love affirmations that address the emotional and physical aftereffects of traumatic experiences. Nghiem supplements the book’s theoretical principles with scientific information from her training as a physician and personal stories both from her own life and of those pursuing healing at her monastery. These small vignettes deepen the book’s emotional impact, especially when Nghiem shares her own experiences as a survivor of sexual and physical abuse. While Nghiem’s techniques can be valuable to anyone seeking personal growth or comfort for pain, those who have experienced severe traumas will find those treated here with sensitivity and compassion, and may find reasons to hope.”—Publishers Weekly