Mental trauma and healing. Existential choice or conscious building of own life (based on the book “The Choice” by Edith Eva Eger)

Abstract

This article discusses two fundamental; topics ‒ the nature of mental trauma and the story of recovery of Edith Eva Eger, reflected in the book “The Choice”. However, in interpretation and comprehension of book material, the author leans on his original “theory of mental realities”. Within the framework of this theory, the characteristics is given to mental trauma and ways to overcome it. The two key methods are highlighted: re-experiences and mimicry of the events of the realities lived through by a person. The author believes that it would help better understanding of the twists and turns of the fate of Edith Eva Eger described in the book. The following methodology was applied in the course of this work: articulation of the problems, comparative and situational analysis, construction of concepts, analysis and interpretation of texts. As a result, the author was able to demonstrate applicability of the theory of mental realities, introduce the concept of mental trauma, determine the two main ways of recovery (re-experiences that suggest direct reproduction of that underlies the trauma, and mimicry of these facts with the current reality), as well as theoretically comprehend the by Edith Eva Eger “The Choice”.