A Guilty Victim: Recovering Creativity after Trauma and Abuse

Reviews and Endorsements

Moving and absolutely gripping. Toby Ingham is an Oliver Sacks, an expert in the workings of the human mind with the writerly skill to turn painstaking clinical practice into compulsively readable narrative. This book is the story of the rescue, against all the odds, of a desperately damaged person; of a triumph of good over evil: it will be a resource and a balm for all who suffered neglect, abuse, and other traumas as children in Britain's residential care systems.
Alex Renton, journalist and author of Stiff Upper Lip: Secrets, Crimes and the Schooling of a Ruling Class

Toby Ingham has written an extraordinary book, part case study and part novel. The author is a psychotherapist and has written, with his patient’s active help and participation, an account of the therapy, charting the ups and downs, the dramas, misunderstandings and bursts of connection and understanding in the therapeutic relationship. Interspersed with the history of the therapy, the author becomes a novelist and recreates scenes from his patient’s life, telling stories of suffering and abuse but also of his patient finding some peace and understanding. The book shows how creativity is linked to courage, showing how if pain and trauma can be faced, then our lives can be transformed.
Laurence Spurling, psychoanalytic psychotherapist, senior member of the British Psychotherapy Foundation

This marvellous book grew from a form of “Bayeux tapestry” created by a client, “William”, to illustrate and demystify the experiences he was recounting in his therapy with Toby Ingham. This healing artistic quest inspired William to invite Ingham to write an account of the therapy to help others. After decades of researching paradigmatic case histories of psychotherapy from Freud onward, I had reached the conclusion that they should be written by clients, not by therapists. But this book shows an even better way: true to this therapy, it is a collaboration, client-led. Toby Ingham and William have created a masterpiece, deserving an honoured place in the history of psychotherapeutic case studies.
Anthony Stadlen, Daseinsanalyst, convenor of Inner Circle Seminars, senior member of the British Psychotherapy Foundation

This is a gripping book which I devoured over 2 days. It is an emotional rollercoaster … This book must be on the reading list for social workers, teachers, in fact anyone who has dealings with young vulnerable people. It is a real insight into grooming and the devastating effects this has on a person.
5 star Amazon review

I thought this was exceptional. Beautiful, and original in its approach, similar to a novel or a two-hander play. Whether you are interested in psychotherapy, have personal experience of trauma, or are moved by absorbing personal stories, this is a book I would recommend adding to your reading list
5 star Amazon review

Table of Contents

About the author
Acknowledgements
Introduction

Part I - Psychotherapy begins
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4

Part II - William’s early life
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13

Part III - The coping years
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17

Part IV - Adaptation
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20

Part V - Creativity
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23

Part VI - Coming out
Chapter 24

Part VII - Psychotherapy ends
Chapter 25
Chapter 26

Customer Reviews

Our customers have given this title an average rating of 5 out of 5 from 2 review(s), add your own review for this title.

Anonymous on 27/03/2025 12:52:19

(5 out of 5)

I thought this was exceptional. Beautiful, and original in its approach, similar to a novel or a two-hander play. Whether you are interested in psychotherapy, have personal experience of trauma, or are moved by absorbing personal stories, this is a book I would recommend adding to your reading list. And then there are those who would do well to read it, to become better informed. Interestingly, it is not a heavy read, with flickers of humour in the dialogue between 'William' and his therapist, particularly when the therapist is being questionned or berated by his client who perhaps for the first time in his life can be so honest with his thoughts and feelings.

Fiona J on 17/03/2025 09:50:39

(5 out of 5)

This is a gripping book which I devoured over 2 days. It is an emotional rollercoaster as you follow William's journey from infancy to his last meeting with Julian in his 60s. At several points during the journey I cried but the tears I shed at the end were as a result of the warm relationship that had developed between the victim and his therapist.
This book must be on the reading list for social workers, teachers, in fact anyone who has dealings with young vulnerable people. It is a real insight into grooming and the devastating effects this has on a person.
I hope anyone who reads this and is experiencing the living hell experienced by William will seek help and understand that life can be reclaimed and lived.