Books | Lion Theory Project

The Founder And The Books.

J C Atkins is the Founder of The Lion Theory Project. She is a ex offender and behaviourist in the field of childhood trauma recovery science in adults. In 2019 she was credited for her cognitive and neuroscience research work in The Lion Theory.

It was whilst at university and working on the neuroscience work in the lion theory science paper, that J C Atkins was statemented as having autism and being analytical gifted in pattern recognition in data.

Her unique no nonsense approach to childhood trauma recovery in adults, combines lived experience with professional insights, making her contributions particularly valuable for those seeking to understand and overcome the effects of childhood trauma. Through her advocacy and educational efforts, J.C. Atkins aims to empower individuals to reclaim their narratives and build healthier, more fulfilling lives despite their past traumas.

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With the creation of the Lion Theory Recovery Model, J.C. Atkins has become a leading voice in trauma-informed behavioural practice. She has paved the way for others in the field, demonstrating how lived experience can inform effective interventions and inspire systemic change. Her work continues to influence both community-based support programs and academic discussions on trauma recovery and behavioural science.

The Behaviourist (2026) is a raw, unflinching memoir of survival, transformation, and grit.

From a childhood shaped by violence and fear to a youth spent on the margins of society, J.C. Atkins fought her way through poverty, addiction, abuse, and prison. But this isn’t just a story of hardship—it’s a story of what happens when you refuse to stay broken.

Torn between the streets of Blackpool and a system that never made space for women like her, Jo became an ex-offender who defied every label.

As her son entered the justice system, she found herself on a new path—one that led from the prison gates to university halls, and eventually to the creation of The Lion Theory, a ground-breaking trauma recovery programme born from lived experience.

With brutal honesty, fierce heart, and dark humour, Atkins shares her fight to reclaim her health, her family, and her voice—proving that recovery isn’t just possible, it’s revolutionary. This is the true story of a mother, a survivor, and a behaviourist.

"Born into an organized crime family, brought up in a caravan, raised on the streets. Jo became the first behaviourist of her kind"

Childhood Trauma Recovery (2026). Many adults carry the invisible scars of childhood trauma— from carrying the fear of abandonment, to problems regulating our emotions and being unable to understand, why we act and feel the way we do and what makes us so different from everyone else?
Childhood Trauma Recovery is a practical guide to help you understand who you are and how to heal from your past. Written by a survivor of childhood trauma and designed to answer all those questions; whilst giving the reader the peace of mind that recovery is possible.
J C Atkins brings both the lived experience and the academic fields together, into this ground breaking self help book. Its a must read for anyone who has suffered from childhood trauma and want to understand themselves.
Childhood Trauma Recovery covers the behaviours produced by childhood trauma. It takes a deep dive into the mindset of the survivor and what makes us tick . By using the latest cognitive research this self help guide, teaches the reader how to reduce the affects of the trauma and how to achieve recovery. The book looks at the disorders commonly linked in childhood trauma in Adults and gives a deeper insight into how they affect our lives.