Stephanie S. Covington 
Hidden Healers [PDF ebook] 
The Unexpected Ways Women in Prison Help Each Other Survive

Acknowledgments xxi

A Note From a Hidden Healer: It’s Time for Change xxiii

Introduction 1

Just the Facts 11

Part One: Entering the System 23

Introduction to the Criminal Legal System for Women in the United States 25

Pathways to Prison: Understanding Trauma and Addiction 43

First Days 51

Part Two: Living Inside 61

Culture and Environment 63

Working Inside the Culture of Corrections 81

Finding Your Program 83

Food 97

Mothering from Inside 107

Grief and Loss 123

Developing Relationships 129

Medical and Mental Health Care 141

Aging in Custody 153

Celebrating Special Days 159

Remembering Those Who Don’t Survive 168

Part Three: The Journey Home 171

Gate Fever 173

The Work of Reentry 179

Healing after Incarceration 187

Part Four: What We Can Do 193

Envisioning Alternatives 195

Do One Small Thing 207

Further Learning 213

Organizations to Support 219

Sources 227

Author Biography 235

Book Group Discussion Questions 237

Also by the Author 239

Stephanie S. Covington, Ph D, LCSW is an internationally recognized pioneer in the fields of addiction, trauma, and gender-responsive care. For three decades she has created and facilitated trauma-informed programs and curricula for use in criminal–legal settings across the United States and globally. Educated at Columbia University and the Union Institute, Dr. Covington is co-director of the Institute for Relational Development and the Center for Gender & Justice in Del Mar, California.