What It Takes to Heal

How Transforming Ourselves Can Change the World

By: Prentis Hemphill

Narrated by: Prentis Hemphill

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • From one of the most prominent voices in the trauma conversation comes a groundbreaking new way to heal on a personal and a collective level.

“I love this book.”—Bessel van der Kolk, author of The Body Keeps the Score

“In a time when so many of us are being trained in cynicism, this book stands in necessary defiance.”—Cole Arthur Riley, author of Black Liturgies and This Here Flesh

As we emerge from the past few years of collective upheaval, are we ready to face the complexities of our time with joy, authenticity, and connection? Now more than ever, we must learn to heal ourselves, connect with one another, and embody our values. In this revolutionary book, Prentis Hemphill shows us how.

What It Takes to Heal asserts that the principles of embodiment—the recognition of our body’s sensations and habits, and the beliefs that inform them—are critical to lasting healing and change. Hemphill, an expert embodiment practitioner, therapist, and activist who has partnered with Brené Brown, Tarana Burke, and Esther Perel, among others, shows us that we don't have to carry our emotional burdens alone. Hemphill demonstrates a future in which healing is done in community, weaving together stories from their own experience as a trauma survivor with clinical accounts and lessons learned from their time as a social movement architect. They ask, “What would it do to movements, to our society and culture, to have the principles of healing at the very center? And what does it do to have healing at the center of every structure and everything we create?”

In this life-affirming framework for the way forward, Hemphill shows us how to heal our bodies, minds, and souls—to develop the interpersonal skills necessary to break down the doors of disconnection and take the necessary risks to reshape our world toward justice.

©2024 Prentis Hemphill (P)2024 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

“In the tradition of James Baldwin, Hemphill invites us in close and personal to experience life, pain, beauty, injustice, and healing. I’ll read this again and again.”—Staci K. Haines, author of The Politics of Trauma

“This book reckons with our major issues—trauma, race, social upheaval—and opens us up to the possibility that everything actually could be different. And it does so one gorgeous sentence after the next.”—Resmaa Menakem, author of My Grandmother’s Hands

“This book will be both the ‘aha’ moment and the balm for so many people who are saddled with vacant platitudes that don’t give them a way forward. It is what we need in this moment and will be foundational for generations to come.”—Tarana Burke, author of Unbound

Really well written and even amazing on audio book.

Great lay out. Loved most of the book a few things I don’t agree with,but that’s all books tho.

What it Takes to Heal

This Audiobook was really enjoyable and it gave away so many Nuggets of wisdom! 5 stars 🌟 !

A clear roadmap to liberation and healing!

One of the best books I have read this year! Very raw and informative look at how complex and simple healing is.

Grateful and right on time

Thank you Prentis for sharing these thoughts, experiences, and courage. I feel gathered and held by what you have given us at this time when these conditions call for it most.

I joined a book club for this book without knowing the book.

I am so glad this book was brought into my experience. Reading and thinking about it and being able to discuss it with others has brought a whole perspective to me. What a great opportunity to talk about ourselves with others and what this book encouraged us to talk about and the feelings that this book bubbled to the surface within us.
This is a great book and I’m so glad I was guided to it and this experience by, what I believe, was the Universe. I love digging deep to better myself, but had not until now had an opportunity to practice with others. Can we grow truly all by ourselves?

So Real

A pragmatic love story to what we all can do/need to do to keep moving forward with love. It feels like a too long dinner conversation where the plates got cold, and the 2nd or 3rd bottle of wine is being poured as we all listen. Where the friend who went out for a smoke came back asking “What did I miss?”

Highly recommend the listen.

Stellar book to listen and learn from!

This is a wonderful book and with linger stories and lessons that are nourishing to the soul! My spirit was fed by so much of the practical tips for healing. I loved it! Prentiss Hemphill is an excellent story teller and her insights are beautiful pathways toward love and healing. Listening to this book makes reading it even more powerful! So grateful for this timely offering!

the honesty and are transformational

thank you Prentis, I am a better person for listening. the only thing left to do is to get about my best most loving healed and healing life.

Powerful

Road map to healing and lots of prospective. Must read for social justice folks. Vulnerability helps you to lean in.

A Soft and Powerful Paradigm Shift

As a longtime fan of Prentis Hemphill’s podcast, I’ve been looking forward to this book for a long time. What a gift to the world it is. Hemphill has such a unique and beautiful way of opening portals with simple language. Portals that take the listener into new realms of possibility. Spaces open to create what we never thought was possible. Softness where we have only felt rigidity. I treasure this book and am deeply moved and changed. Thank you from the bottom of my heart on behalf of my own soul and the soul of this achingly beautiful world.