Treatment Of Complex Trauma

The research base on complex psychological trauma has grown significantly in recent years. Yet even with the development of more effective techniques for treating complex trauma survivors, therapists often struggle to build strong relationships with these severely distressed clients. In this guide, the authors present an approach for helping adult clients move through the three phases of posttraumatic recovery -- and for managing the inevitable roadblocks and relationship issues that occur. The introductory chapters explore how complex trauma emerges from chronic victimization and the disruption of attachment bonds in childhood or adulthood and review diagnostic considerations. Two extended case examples highlight clinical issues that arise with this population and, running throughout the chapters, show how to use a secure therapeutic alliance as a foundation for utilizing evidence-based treatment strategies. The authors demonstrate ways to weave together elements of cognitive-behavioral, psychodynamic, relational, and systemic therapies, along with other proven approaches, in the service of working toward clearly defined therapeutic goals. In Phase 1, the emphasis is basic safety and personal stabilization. Phases 2 and 3 address trauma processing and the challenges of creating a new, more satisfying life. Strategies for tailoring interventions to each individual's needs and strengths, aided by ongoing assessment, are detailed. Applications in group, couple, and family therapy are also discussed.

With contributions from prominent experts, this pragmatic book takes a close look at the nature of complex psychological trauma in children and adolescents and the clinical challenges it presents. Each chapter shows how a complex trauma perspective can provide an invaluable unifying framework for case conceptualization, assessment, and intervention amidst the chaos and turmoil of these young patients' lives. A range of evidence-based and promising therapies are reviewed and illustrated with vivid case vignettes. The volume is grounded in clinical innovations and cutting-edge research on child and adolescent brain development, attachment, and emotion regulation, and discusses diagnostic criteria, including those from DSM-IV and DSM-5. See also Drs. Courtois and Ford's edited volume Treating Complex Traumatic Stress Disorders (Adults) and their authored volume, Treatment of Complex Trauma: A Sequenced, Relationship-Based Approach.

In Treating Complex Trauma, renowned clinicians Mary Jo Barrett and Linda Stone Fish present the Collaborative Change Model (CCM), a clinically evaluated model that facilitates client and practitioner collaboration and provides invaluable tools for clients struggling with the impact and effects of complex trauma. A practical guide, Treating Complex Trauma organizes clinical theory, outcome research, and decades of experiential wisdom into a manageable blueprint for treatment. With an emphasis on relationships, the model helps clients move from survival mindstates to engaged mindstates, and as a sequential and organized model, the CCM can be used by helping professionals in a wide array of disciplines and settings. Utilization of the CCM in collaboration with clients and other trauma-informed practitioners helps prevent the re-traumatization of clients and the compassion fatigue of the practitioner so that they can work together to build a hopeful and meaningful vision of the future.

The term complex trauma refers to a broad range of symptoms resulting from exposure to prolonged or repeated severely traumatizing events. This broad spectrum of psychological symptoms complicates the formulation of an all-encompassing explicit definition, which in turn complicates the creation of specific treatment guidelines. In Diagnosing and Treating Complex Trauma, Trudy Mooren and Martijn Stöfsel explore the concept of complex trauma with reference to severely traumatised people including refugees, asylum seekers, war veterans, people with severe occupational trauma and childhood trauma and others who have dealt with severe violence. The book introduces a layered model for diagnosing and treating complex trauma in four parts. Part One introduces the concept of complex trauma, its historical development and the various theories about trauma. The authors introduce a layered model that describes the symptoms of complex trauma, and conclude with a discussion on the three-phase model. Part Two describes the diagnostic options available that make use of a layered model of complex trauma. Part Three discusses the treatment of complex trauma using the three-phase model as an umbrella model that encompasses the entire treatment. Chapters cover a multitude of stabilization techniques crucial to the treatment of every client group regardless of the therapeutic expectations. This part also contains an overview of the general and specific trauma processing techniques. The last chapter in this part covers the third phase of the treatment: integration. Part Four addresses the characteristics of different groups of clients who are affected by complex trauma, the components that affect their treatment and the suggested qualities required of a therapist to deal with each group. The book concludes with a chapter discussing the consequences for therapists providing treatment to people afflicted by complex trauma. Developed from the authors’ own clinical experiences, Diagnosing and Treating Complex Trauma is a key guide and reference for healthcare professionals working with severely traumatised adults, including psychologists, psychotherapists, psychiatrists, social-psychiatric nurses, and case managers.

One of the few books on the treatment of psychological trauma in children that provides specific, in-depth individual, group, and family therapy interventions for complex psychological trauma, Treating Complex Trauma in Children and Their Families: An Integrative Approach focuses on the treatment of 6-12 year-old children and their relevant family members. Renowned authors Cheryl B. Lanktree and John N. Briere use their evidence-based, yet flexible treatment model, Integrative Treatment of Complex Trauma for Children (ITCT-C), as they address the use of play therapy, attachment processing, mindfulness, and other approaches, as well as interventions with family/caretaker and community systems. The authors emphasize a culturally sensitive, destigmatizing, and empowering perspective that supports both recovery and posttraumatic growth. Clinical examples and specific tools illustrate how assessment is used to guide individualized and developmentally-appropriate interventions.

Clinicians working with complex trauma are honored with the most sacred of tasks: to bear witness to clients' suffering and to attend compassionately to their wounds. In The Complex PTSD Treatment Manual, clinicians will find the road map they need to conduct successful therapy with clients who have experienced prolonged exposure to traumatic events. Combining the science and art of therapy, Dr. Arielle Schwartz seamlessly integrates research-based interventions with the essentials of healing to create a whole-person approach to trauma treatment. Drawing from her years of experience in working with trauma survivors, Dr. Schwartz provides clinicians with the tools they need to become a trustworthy companion to trauma survivors and become capable of guiding a healing journey for clients with a history of abuse or neglect. Within these pages, you will find: - Essential interventions that strengthen mindful body awareness, enhance distress tolerance, cultivate self-compassion, and facilitate trauma recovery - Over 50 practices, worksheets, and self-reflection points to utilize in each stage of the client's therapeutic process - Integration of several therapeutic approaches for trauma treatment, including relational therapy, mindful body awareness, parts work therapy, CBT, EMDR, somatic psychology, and practices drawn from complementary and alternative medicine

Developmental Couple Therapy for Complex Trauma provides therapists with comprehensive and practical guidance for integrating DCTCT into their work with traumatized couples. The book includes an evidence-based framework which emphasizes the importance of containing conflict and helps clients to build emotional regulation and mentalizing skills. The framework is an invaluable asset to all clinicians working with couples dealing with the ravaging impacts of complex trauma, who may not be able to benefit from traditional forms of couple therapy due to challenges in regulating emotions, mentalizing and other aspects of the complex trauma response that limit capacity to engage in relationships and couple therapy. The chapters guide you through the four key stages of DCTCT: Psychoeducation, Building Capacity, Dyadic Processing, and Consolidation. Each stage has accompanying activities and narratives in which to engage traumatized couples and includes a variety of case transcripts to illustrate the approach. Throughout the manual the author provides the reader with: insights from real-world scenarios based on her extensive clinical experience; worksheets that can be used as part of the therapeutic process; systematic analyses of the therapeutic process from the therapist’s point of view; comprehensive recommendations for further reading so that you can develop your expertise in any area of DCTCT. Never losing sight of the fact that the therapist plays an essential role as a coach and mentor for those undertaking couple therapy, this manual is a valuable tool for any clinician working to engage traumatized couples and equip them with the skills they need to develop and maintain a strong and vibrant couple relationship.

Chronic childhood trauma, such as prolonged abuse or family violence, can severely disrupt a person's development, basic sense of self, and later relationships. Adults with this type of history often come to therapy with complex symptoms that go beyond existing criteria for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This important book brings together prominent authorities to present the latest thinking on complex traumatic stress disorders and provide practical guidelines for conceptualization and treatment. Evidence-based assessment procedures are detailed, and innovative individual, couple, family, and group therapies are described and illustrated with case vignettes and session transcripts.