Book Nook - Trauma is a Thief

 

Psychologist and former college president Dr. Neal King has walked a path few could imagine. In his critically important new book, Trauma is a Thief, he applies his education and training toward his own troubled childhood, hoping his words might serve as a resource for others struggling to extricate themselves from the detritus of early trauma.

From a childhood shattered by unspeakable trauma to his life as a psychologist and college president, Dr. Neal King opens up in his powerful new book about his search for answers, the dark secrets he uncovered and the strategies that helped him survive.

“Trauma doesn’t occur in a vacuum; there will always be a context,” King writes in his book. “When it happens within your family, it’s the worst — you likely then have no sanctuary to which you can escape and seek protection; it’s simply a part of your life.”

Born into a profoundly disturbed family, King experienced various forms of trauma, including sexual and physical abuse, abandonment, and the prevalence of addiction among family members. These early experiences left indelible marks on his psyche, influencing not only his personal life but also his professional trajectory. He is the sole family member to have survived, flawed and wounded, but unbowed and ebullient. 

He grew up to become a leader in international education, a licensed psychologist and professor of psychology, and eventually the president of Antioch University Los Angeles. He has dedicated his life to deepening his understanding of trauma and aiding those with similar lived experiences. 

Now, in his deeply personal new book, Trauma is a Thief, King invites readers into his traumatic childhood, connecting the dots with as much candor, compassion and impartiality as he can summon to offer his own story as a “case study” for anyone else whose lives have been impacted by trauma.  

“Whatever its form or context, trauma is invariably a thief. It steals something essential from you that you can never fully recover,” King writes. 

Memoir-like but woven with professional insights from King’s own training, research and clinical practice - as well as the wisdom of Carl Jung - Trauma is a Thief delves deeply into how King survived, the price he paid to survive, and how his trauma continues to dwell within and inform him even today.

“I have battled mightily to be here today to share this tale with you — in hopes that if you or someone you love has suffered their own trauma, my tale might render some comfort, serve as a resource, or help you feel seen and understood,” he writes. 

King’s new book is designed for fellow survivors of trauma, those who love them, and those who study and work with them.

The Midwest Book Review’s Small Press Bookwatch, in its January 2025 edition, offers the following critique of the book:

Candid, descriptive, insightful, thoughtful and thought-provoking, “Trauma Is a Thief” by Neal King is an extraordinary, compelling, and intensely personal life story and psychological study that will prove to be of immense value to readers with an interest regarding the subject child abuse and recovery – as well as other relevant LGBTQ+ issues. Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, “Trauma Is a Thief” is especially and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and college/university library Contemporary American Biography/Memoir collections. Available from https://www.amazon.com/Trauma-Thief-Neal-King/dp/1637656440 

About the Author

Dr. Neal King, a cisgender gay man, has served as psychologist/psychotherapist, professor of psychology, author, keynote speaker and college president in his professional life. He has worked with multiple survivors of trauma in his clinical practice. In Trauma is a Thief, he applies the same case study methodology he used in his dissertation at UC Berkeley to his own lived experience in a deeply disturbed family. King is recognized for his contributions to LGBTQ and general population trauma issues through his research and clinical work. He focuses on the psychological impacts of trauma both to the LGBTQ community and more broadly, including the effects of discrimination, violence and marginalization. 

An avid photographer who loves to travel, devour fiction and tend the roses, King lives with his partner of many years, Peter, in Southern California. 

One can find Dr. King on LinkedIn at Neal King, PhD.