Straight to the Heart

Straight to the Heart: Radical Exposure Tapping and the Transformative Healing of Trauma is an impor­tant book. For some, it will be a life-changing book, the book that changes their clin­i­cal prac­tice and equips them with a ther­a­peu­tic process having the poten­tial to free their patients from emo­tional mem­o­ries that have con­strained their lives. For others, it may bring inspi­ra­tion, giving them the courage to work with new approaches on the edge of what is known and not known, of what is evidence-based and what is emerg­ing. For others, the book will trig­ger a process of self-reflection about their own pro­fes­sional jour­neys as ther­a­pists: about the teach­ers who shaped their clin­i­cal skills, the choices they made to follow one path and not another, and the ways in which the needs of their patients shaped their pro­fes­sional paths. Reading this book may reflect yet another turn or fork in that com­plex jour­ney. And for those of us who work in a world that is increas­ingly tech­no­log­i­cal, the book is a breath of fresh air, remind­ing us about the ther­a­peu­tic power of the rela­tion­ship, of con­nec­tion.

Straight to the Heart is an engaging, easy-to-follow and clinically useful guide to applying Radical Exposure Tapping in the treatment of trauma. Illustrating its techniques through a variety of clinical cases, the book consolidated my understanding of RET and increased my confidence in using it with clients. It is an excellent resource for both clinicians new to the RET model and experienced RET practitioners looking to sharpen their skills.

Dr MacKinnon’s Radical Exposure Tapping is an excellent trauma-processing therapy. It quickly allows therapist and patient to understand the body symptoms, the held images that continue to haunt, and the associated negative cognitions, and it enables resolution of the trauma memory symptoms. I have used RET in correctional settings, homeless clinics, and via telepsychiatry, and can thoroughly recommend it as an effective and user-friendly approach. This book, Straight to the Heart, is a valuable addition to any trauma therapist’s toolkit.

I trained in RET before COVID, and years on, it remains one of the most powerful and most used tools in my toolbox. Clients do not have to tell me their whole trauma story. They bring out small, salient pieces, and I can see the effects so quickly. What convinced me were the clients who went in saying, "this is stupid, it won't do anything," and it worked anyway, and they came back asking for more. Most of my clients carry repeated trauma, death by a thousand cuts, but you do not have to work on every memory: find the right one, like pulling the right piece from a Jenga tower, and the others seem to sort themselves out. I have done full EMDR training, and I still go back to RET. The tapping keeps part of the person in the room with you, engaged in the task, and I have never had a client overwhelmed by it. RET gets right to the heart of it.

Dr Laurie MacKinnon’s work as a therapist, researcher and educator has long inspired clinicians across therapeutic disciplines. What convinced me about Radical Exposure Tapping was its grounding in the neurobiology of trauma; Laurie makes a clear and compelling case for why it works. In practice, it is a powerful de-arousal strategy and a powerful way of reframing what has happened, settling the somatic responses that keep people stuck. I have used it with individuals, with couples, with a whole family gathered in their dining room, and online across continents, and I would have no hesitation reaching for it in any of those settings. Clinicians will be inspired and well equipped by having this book available at a time when there is a real need for hope. It is a significant and highly recommended contribution to trauma treatment, practice and research.

Straight to the Heart generously draws on Laurie’s extensive clinical experience, deep understanding of trauma, and exceptional teaching ability to create a practical and compassionate guide for therapists. It is a reliable touchstone for navigating the complexities of trauma, helping therapists stay grounded, work with confidence, and guide clients towards self-acceptance, healing and lasting recovery.