When you go to a professional for help, they use the knowledge and skills that they have learned up to that point in their experience. Is there any reason for you to not know those things too? No there isn't. As a matter of fact, you are probably better off knowing some of what they know, so you can do it yourself as much as possible.
Self-reliance and empowerment are the key words here. This manual is largely about the things that people like counsellors know and do. Understanding the theories they work from and the techniques they use is empowering. Not knowing is dependency. Right?
Sometimes professionals are much better at helping emotionally injured citizens than helping themselves. When one of you is constantly bummed out, we say that you are suffering from depression. We then try to help you with your depression. On the other hand, when we get that way, we call it burnout, and we rearrange our schedules. Sometimes we hide our knowledge from ourselves.
So, spend some time getting through the theoretical stuff that follows. There is no need for it to remain solely in the realm of the professionals. It is more useful if you too have some basic theory and knowledge. It's easier for us too, and really, the ideal of the lazy, elegant approach is good for professionals too.
Keep in mind that this manual is only one approach. Become your own expert and use the rest of us as a support crew. In truth, we all wish that we had the right answers for every bit of human suffering - and all of us are midstride in our own learning.
This manual is the product of numerous hours with people who have been traumatized by one thing or another. Many were sexual assault victims. Some of them were offenders. Some were traumatized by other things. It is also the product of many hours with professional human service folks. I've been on the lookout for those who were getting the best results. What kinds of things did they know? What ideas did they use in their work? Why did those ideas work? How did they put them into practice? What really makes the difference?
This manual is the summation of a body of experience in which the most profound teachings came from citizens who healed themselves, sometimes in spite of my efforts. Please don't take this manual as the one true way. It isn't. On the other hand, give the ideas a fair try. Come to your own understanding. That's the gig here.