Product Description
In this major new work on body-oriented psychotherapy, Marianna Eckberg makes the case for somatic treatment for individuals suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In describing this therapeutic approach, she incorporates events of historical or national significance, including work with Vietnam vets (the first to be diagnosed with the disorder) and the Chowchilla kidnapping victims. Case studies from her professional efforts include work with victims of torture in El Salvador and her own experience as a victim of sexual and medical abuse. Victims of Cruelty offers a stinging rebuke of electroshock therapy, a political story of international medicine in Central America, and the demonstration of an increasingly influential form of treatment for PTSD. Included are an appendix of somatic interventions and a bibliography. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Brilliant Body-Centered Perspective
Total Healing to the Limits of Living: A Sourcebook for Awakening and Engaging the Healing Energies of the Tree of Life

I bought this book because I was so impressed with Maryanna Eckberg after a conversation I had with her twenty years ago. She seemed quiet, knowing, and in tune with the people she was working with. When I finally bought the book, I was more than impressed. She has written a brilliant review of her healing methods. She makes it quite obvious that in most cases, the only way to treat trauma is through bringing awareness back into a numbed consciousness. Her approach is respectful, allowing the client to follow their own unfolding as they are ready. The story of Maryanna's own trauma is heartbreaking, but encouraging in that she eventually found her way out of it through bioenergetics and other body-centered approaches.

Bestbook on the subject
This book is the best book I have read regarding complex PTSD.I work with survivors of trauma,torture--mostly with trauma suffered in childhood. This book validated the work I do and continue to do.Ms. Eckberg's mentor, Peter Levine, Phd, is the best expert in the field of trauma and I highly recommend his books and work as well.It is a pity that Maryanna has passed away.I would have loved to meet her.

One of the Two Best PTSD Books I Ever Read!
I have a vast collection of PTSD books on my shelves and I have to say this is one of the two best books on PTSD I have ever read.(The other one is Rebuilding Shattered Lives: The Responsible Treatment of Complex Post-Traumatic and Dissociative Disorders, by James A. Chu).Maryanna's story is the closest I have ever come to reading my own story!I related to so much of it that I underlined or highlighted more than half of her story.It was incredibly validating to find out that someone else had experienced the same things as me, including all of the dissociation.And it was inspiring to hear that she had found ways to recover.I highly recommend this book to anyone who has endured severe trauma and wonders if anyone else has ever experienced anything close to what they have experienced.You just might find yourself relating to her story, too!

great book, highly recommended
This is the best book on PTSD I have read.
I found the spiritual and psychological insights uplifting.It is a powerful read.
As the previous critic stated, it is not a "technical" book with exact somatic therapy techniques listed.
I did not find it extremely upsetting that the Author and one of her most important clients had passed away, death is an inevitable part of life.
Although I appreciated how the Author explained her own experience of recovery -- this was at first overwhelming to me.It took longer to integrate thisfor me.

For This reason I would not necessarily recommend it to a recovering client of PTSD.

However,I think the examples she used to demonstrate her experience with clients were fine because although you might not relate to their exact situation this is helpful to distance yourself yet still be conscious of how tragedy can strike anyone.

Not for clients of the therapy
I read "Victims of Cruelty" as both a client and a student of Somatic Experiencing™, at the recommendation of my SE therapist. Eckberg gives some clear and fascinating insights into the value of somatic therapies for sufferers of PTSD, with a particular emphasis on her own specialty, victims of political and other forms of torture. The explicit conclusions she draws are hopeful and uplifting. The implicit conclusion, however, is not.

As a student of the work, I found the book less technical than I would have hoped--it seems aimed at a lay audience, and yet the emphasis on fairly unusual and extreme forms of trauma makes it too specialized for general interest or "self-help." Eckberg mentions but does not elaborate on the specifics of her clinical methods.

As a client of the work, I found the book distressing and even frightening: one of Eckberg's most haunting and memorable client cases, and then Eckberg herself, developed cancer at the successful conclusion of trauma therapy, and both eventually died of it. The book, published after Eckberg's death, seems to say that a natural outgrowth of recovery from a lifetime of PTSD is to find peace and then die. This would NOT be a message I'd want to give clients struggling to recover from trauma.

"Victims of Cruelty," therefore, stands as an interesting narrative of one woman's journey as a trauma victim and a healer, but failed to teach me much as a healer and actually detracted from my work as a client. ... Read more

Product Description
The new, quick reference for understanding Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

The Wiley Concise Guides to Mental Health: Posttraumatic Stress Disorder uses clear, highly accessible language to comprehensively guide the reader through posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and related issues. This concise, informative reference provides a complete overview of the history of the field, diagnosis, treatment, research, emerging trends, and other critical information about PTSD. Examining both theory and practice, the text offers a multifaceted look at the disorder, outlining biological, cognitive, psychosocial, psychodynamic, integrated, and other relevant approaches.

Like all the books in the Wiley Concise Guides to Mental Health Series, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder features a compact, easy-to-use format that includes:

• Vignettes and case illustrations
• A practical approach that emphasizes real-life treatment over theory
• Resources for specific readers such as clinicians, students, or patients

In addition to the fundamentals of treatment, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder covers some of today's most important and cutting-edge issues in the field, such as war and terrorism; PTSD in children, adolescents, and families; professional and ethical issues; and relevant positive psychological findings. This straightforward resource is admirably suited for a wide variety of readers including students and practicing mental health professionals, as well as first responders, military personnel, and other individuals that regularly deal with traumatic situations and their aftermath. ... Read more

Product Description
Straight Talk About Post-Traumatic Stress Di sorder provides young adults with concise, up-to-date inform ation about how to cope with their own feelings when somethi ng unexpected and traumatic occurs in their lives. ' ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Don't miss this one...
One of the most comprehensive books I've read on the subject.The only resource I've found that has a chapter dedicated to the effects on children w/ PARENTS who have PTSD.Compassionate in it's decription of the effects of trauma.Several varied real life examples of people suffering from trauma so you can see you are not alone.Smaller book - doesn't overwhelm.Targeted toward youth but incredibly helpful for anyone with this condition.Written a decade ago but was ahead of it's time when written.A gem of a resource...

Excellent explanation of effects of PTSD for young people
I treat many young people who suffer PTSD and who have tried to cope withthe effects of trauma through the abuse of drugs and alcohol.Ofparticular help were the sections "un-demonizing" PTSD as anormal set of responses to traumatic experiences and the section involvingthe neurological and biochemical changes which occur and may endure as aresult of trauma.These are helpful explanations for teens who need tofeel in charge of themselves in their unpredictable and often terrifyingworlds.I do not hesitate to give a copy of this book to young people inmy practice where appropriate. ... Read more

Product Description
The state of ongoing military conflict in the Middle East and the recent rise in acts of domestic terrorism have created an increasing need for identifying potential vulnerability risk factors and for developing more effective treatment strategies for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This book reviews the most promising translational research findings that will help shape the direction and form for the optimal clinical applications for combat-related PTSD in the current military climate. ... Read more

Product Description
As Dr. Mark Goulston tells his patients who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), "The fact that you’re still afraid doesn’t mean you’re in any danger. It just takes the will and the way for your heart and soul to accept what the logical part of your mind already knows." In Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder For Dummies, Dr. Goulston helps you find the will and shows you the way.

A traumatic event can turn your world upside down, but there is a path out of PTSD. This reassuring guide presents the latest on effective treatments that help you combat fear, stop stress in its tracks, and bring joy back into your life. You'll learn how to:

• Identify PTSD symptoms and get a diagnosis
• Understand PTSD and the nature of trauma
• Develop a PTSD treatment plan
• Choose the ideal therapist for you
• Decide whether cognitive behavior therapy is right for you
• Weight the pros and cons of PTSD medications
• Cope with flashbacks, nightmares, and disruptive thoughts
• Maximize your healing
• Manage your recovery, both during and after treatment
• Help a partner, child or other loved one triumph over PTSD
• Know when you're getting better
• Get your life back on track

Whether you're a trauma survivor with PTSD or the caregiver of a PTSD sufferer, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder For Dummies, gives you the tools you need to win the battle against this disabling condition. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

PTSD for Dummies Is a Tremendous Help
"Post Traumatic Stress Disorder for Dummies" is a tremendous help for everyone involved in the life of someone with the disorder -- including the person with PTSD, those who interact with this person on a daily basis and those closest to the person who want to help but have no idea what to do.

This book does an excellent job describing what goes on mentally and physically within the person with PTSD.It is amazing and can be extremely difficult for that person, but with immediate therapy from a mental health care professional, the symptoms, to a large extent, can be recognized and controlled. The key is getting IMMEDIATE help after the traumatic event(s). Many types of therapy are also described.

What I appreciate most about the book is that it does not ignore the people who live with and love this "new person." It gives them hope because depression can easily set in for those who truly want to do what is best to help. It also informs the sufferer, who is most likely unaware, of what life can be like for his/her loved ones.

This book is easy to read and yet extremely informative. It gives the reader "just enough" information to understand PTSD, and it gives hope to the sufferer and everyone involved in that person's life.

PTSD for Dummies
Good book with helpful insight to help with dealing with PTSD. Interesting insight and self awareness techniques.

Outstanding Resource from One Who Knows
This is a comprehensive look at a very serious subject. Written by Mark Goulston, MD, a top psychiatrist and life-skills coach, the book delivers invaluable information and advice for those living with PTSD.
It's also an excellent primer for anyone interested in the subject. Dr. Goulston writes with a conversational tone that is very comforting. His primary message to his reader is "There is a road out of this terrible place."
PTSD victims and their family members have to be reminded of this at every turn, for the depression and isolation that usually comes with PTSD, too often leads to suicide. We are seeing this more and more in combat veterans.
While Dr. Goulston notes that PTSD is a major, life-altering disorder, and an "invisible epidemic" affecting at least 13 million Americans of every age, he also asserts the good news today, is that PTSD is highly treatable.
PTSD is a complex illness, and there are many manifestations of it. The author explains that there are two primary types of PTSD: Simple and Complex. Simple PTSD usually follows a single event, while Complex PTSD can occur after repeated traumas. Gooulston gives insights into the amazing array of available treatments that now offer relief and healing.
He addresses the challenges and stresses facing the loved ones of those
with PTSD, as well as nearly every facet of this "Anxiety Disorder."
He also manages to infuse the book with flashes of humor, a much-needed tool for fighting PTSD.
This book will help anyone interested in PTSD, and that should be all of us, as we're all just one traumatic event away from it. As our war veterans return from Iraq and Afghanistan, this vital resource can provide great hope and understanding.
Don't be mislead by the "Dummies" label. This book is chock-full of scientific facts, and proven remedies. A very important work on PTSD. Highly, enthusiastically recommended!!

Finally, someone who TRULY understands and offers REAL HELP
Flashbacks are like a time machine. You literally re-live it in every way down to your visceral responses and the same exact thoughts going through your mind. We attempt to scramble back into the present tense ASAP. This was (and sometimes still is) the hardest aspect of PTSD to get under control.
Your book (and years of therapy and ongoing self-directed effort)taught me to acknowledge the unwanted memories as brain blips because of cataloging.....(i.e. a sexual snarl provoking a memories of all that molestation or torture makes a young girl rememember AND feel.....)It's not only my body "replaying" the sensations, it's also the EMOTIONAL/visceral responses......i.e. feeling scared, helpless, unimportant, unloved.....these I now realize that the physical memories (burning, violence, starvation, etc...) are ALWAYS accompanied by what you think and the emotional component.
So, it's not only remembering and re-experiencing what they did to your body, it's ALSO what you concluded about yourself, the world......and what to expect next......I'm not articulate at all.....but it's these emotions that are reexperienced in my body that I ALWAYS have to recognize aren't true any more. I call them the emotional reverbations of random memories......This has helped me to learn what to acknowledge as pertaining to `now' and what got accidentally misfired.......That was and is my lynchpin to feeling capable and able to appreciate my life. The best thing is............I notice that everything is less intense and floats by more easily.............I can't thank you enough...........True, my therapies helped, but......reading your book seemed to present it as "OK and doable"........I think it was because you wrote it like the reader was talking to a friend and it's OK to have challenges like this. THANK YOU!
In summary, I must remember that these are outdated "life templates". I just let them pass as such. I no longer try to PUSH them away. My gentle recogniation has actually made them recur less frequently and with less visceral impact and they "dissolve" more quickly as well. Your "acceptace" advice is, ironically, the most curative! I wish all PTSD's could know this.
I owe you much that I love about life now.....including me! *blush*

easy informative read..
This was an easy & very interesting read. I finished it in one weekend. It was in simplified terms, and chock full of good information. ... Read more

Product Description
This volume is a collection of original chapters by a group of authors at the leading UK research and treatment centre on PTSD dealing with the diagnosis and context of PTSD, psychological mechanisms and behaviour, and strategies for therapy and prevention. Drawing on ten years intensive experience with adults and children presenting with PTSD and other disorders following a series of disasters, Yule emphasises the cognitive behavioural approach to PTSD and integrates important perspectives from social psychology, experimental cognitive psychology, neuropsychology and developmental psychology. Cross-cultural issues and issues in planning emergency responses to disasters are discussed. The controversy surrounding various short term and crisis interventions is critically presented. ... Read more

Product Description
Abstract: In the face of disaster, each of us reacts in our own way. At first, we may respond with disbelief, then perhaps fear, numbness, or a sense of disorientation. Some people seek and gather information; others cling to denial. It's very important to recognize that these feelings are normal and that a disaster of any magnitude leads to unusual and unwanted stress.

Fortunately, most people are resilient enough to move through the trauma, and while they will never be the same, they will come to terms with life. Some, however, are at risk for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which has only recently been recognized as a relatively common and sometimes overlooked health problem. ... Read more

Product Description
Univ. of Hawaii, Honolulu. Volume explores and examines the role of ethnocultural aspects of PTSD through a comprehensive discussion of current theory, research, and practice. Contains papers presented at the International Conference on Ethnocultural Aspects of PTSD held in Honolulu, Hawaii from June 28-July 1, 1993. Reprint of the cloth edition published in c1996. Softcover. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

An essential reference for assessment and treatment of PTSD
This book reviews the assessment and treatment of PTSD with various cultural groups and victim populations.The chapters are written by many prominent psychologists and researchers.I highly recommend this book for clinicians or academicians. ... Read more

Product Description
This digital document is an article from Internal Medicine News, published by Thomson Gale on January 15, 2007. The length of the article is 570 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Sexual trauma tied to PTSD in female veterans.(Psychiatry)(posttraumatic stress disorder)
Author: Jane Salodof MacNeil
Publication: Internal Medicine News (Magazine/Journal)
Date: January 15, 2007
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 40Issue: 2Page: 21(1)

Distributed by Thomson Gale ... Read more

Product Description
Approximately half of all men and women will be exposed to a traumatic event, such as: assault, terrorism, military combat, car accident, domestic violence, or natural disaster. Of those exposed, eight percent of Americans and 20-30 percent of people elsewhere will develop trauma-related symptoms that impair day-to-day functioning. Who is at risk, and what is the likelihood of recovery? How does PTSD differ from other acute stress disorders?Get answers from the expert, plus:Targeted case studies Assessment and treatment guidelines for children and adolescents as well as adults Information on over 38 assessment tools 8 cognitive behavioral therapies and eye movement desensitization Comparative table of PTSD medication dosages, indications, and contraindications Effectiveness of medications vs. psychotherapy ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Helpful text, shockingly overpriced.
I use the first edition of this text to inform my psychotherapy practice. It is helpful. I came across the revised edition, which I planned to purchase. Unfortunately, it is shockingly overpriced. It is 120 pages. I believe it is completely appropriate and legitimate to include the price factor in product/customer reviews, as I do in in all product reviews, and yes, that includes "books". Unfortunately, a good, basic text handy for practicing clinicians has priced itself completely out of the market.

Good Introduction, Good Update & Review....
I've been a psychotherapist for 20 years, with another 5-10 years before that as a counselor.Perhaps three-quarters of my clients have had PTSD -- most often from child abuse or neglect.

I found "Post-Traumatic and Acute Stress Disorders:The Latest Assessment and Treatment Strategies", written by long-time leading researcher & practitioner, Matthew Friedman, MD, PhD, highly readable & clearly organized.It covers the aspects of PTSD & PTSD treatment most valuable for a clinician, and it can even help a motivated client with college-level reading skills.

"Post-Traumatic and Acute Stress Disorders" begins with a brief history, as well as a good, quick review of basic PTSD symptoms, and a case example to apply those symptoms.It then summarizes up-to-date research that all clinicians should know -- for example, common co-morbidities (other "psychological problems") found with PTSD, research-based therapeutic effectiveness of various treatments, discussions of the newer diagnostic categories -- Acute Stress Disorder (ASD) and Complex PTSD -- and what works in medicine.For the more beginning clinician, it's a solid introduction; for the experienced clinician, it's a good review & update.I've even used it with a few clients.They report it was helpful, and it generated some good discussions & therapy.

I've read several of the "Compact Clinical Series", and this shares their strengths of presentation, making this volume good not only for a "first time" read, but also for a quick reference about, say, "What percentage of men with PTSD have problems with alcohol?" (Answer:52%) or "Does age and childhood trauma & adversity create greater risk for PTSD?" (Answer:Yes.In particular, those younger than 25 are most at-risk.)

"Post-Traumatic & Acute Stress Disorders" also shares the weaknesses of the Compact Clinical Series, which are the weaknesses of DSM since DSM-III and the cognitive-behavioral treatments with which it has become so closely tied.This can be a particular problem for PTSD, perhaps the most individualized "disorder" in DSM -- always about "this particular person", coming from "this particular background", having faced "this particular trauma", which is the Greek word for "wound".

I'm a cognitive-behavioral therapist, as well as a family therapist.And no clinician who has worked with the problematic, often sloppy diagnosing of DSM-II wishes for a return to that.But the "separate diseases" model, built up by different discreet thoughts and behaviors has real limitations with PTSD.Let me too-briefly detail only two:

"Meaning".PTSD, if it's not merely a need for training to handle tough memories, always involves meanings, which are deeply linked to who the person is, and which are stubbornly not-reducible to such things as behaviors, thoughts, even beliefs.Let us not forget that, while there have long been writings and even a few books on PTSD before the mid-20th century, especially with combat "PTSD", one of the earliest and perhaps still the best-selling "PTSD" book is Viktor Frankl's Man's Search for Meaning.

"Research", as conducted strictly in this "single & separate disease" model.For example, Effective Treatments for PTSD: Practice Guidelines from the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies, c. 2000, (The second edition, Effective Treatments for PTSD, Second Edition: Practice Guidelines from the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies, comes out late this year.) of which Friedman is one of the editors, gives its "punchline" in its introduction:"It is customary... in studies of PTSD treatment to exclude patients with active substance dependence, acute suicidal ideation, neuropsychological deficits [such as TBI]...."This excludes over half, perhaps as many as two-thirds of males with PTSD.This will exclude a large percentage of soldiers coming back from Iraq.

But even given these limitations, this is a most useful book, which I heartily recommend.Especially if you take to heart, even broaden, a caution given in "Effective Treatments":"...clinicians following these guidelines should not limit themselves to only those approaches and techniques.Creative integration of new approaches that have been found to be helpful in other conditions and that have a theoretically sound foundation are encouraged in an effort to optimize treatment outcome."

Post-Traumatic and Acute Stress Disorders
This book answers a need in our library for the subject of Post-traumatic Stress Disorder and treatment. It will be used by our Allied Health Dept for nursing students who study psychology as it relates to nursing practice.Other students who have an interest in the topic would also benefit from this book. The layout of the book is very well organized for ease of reading. It hasCase Examples and Key Concepts as well as many other features. ... Read more

Product Description
Traumatic events strike unexpectedly and turn everyday experiences upside down. Frequently, people suffering such trauma cannot shake the experience and develop Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Psychological debriefing (PD) is a widely practised process used as an intervention for treating people who have been exposed to trauma. It allows people who have been exposed to trauma to re-examine the traumatic event in a safe and controlled environment, and reduces the risks of developing PTSD. This book is a practical introduction to PTSD and psychological debriefing, and offers an enhanced model of PD which the author terms 'Emotional Decompression'. Structured like a deep-sea dive, which has to include carefully planned safety stops on the way back to the surface to avoid getting 'the bends', this model provides time frames for how long to spend at various stages of the PD process, and when to stop for discussions and explanations. The focus is on aiding recovery from this 'invisible injury' over carefully structured time.The book presents a range of recovery models, from the 'simple' models developed by Williams and Horowitz to the more complex 'Snakes and Ladders' model developed by the author. Appendices include an essay by one of the world's leading exponents of psychological debriefing, Atle Dyregrov, as well as case studies of debriefs completed by the author, including that of a survivor of the July 7th bombings in London. "A Guide to Psychological Debriefing" is an essential book for health practitioners, counsellors, psychologists and professionals working with clients suffering from PTSD, as well as students. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Reading Review

For what little information there is out there for a n y o n e who has suffered near loss of life, or, witnessed the loss of life of loved ones, through natural or un-natural causes,and is looking for a way to understand, or cope with what they may feel is PTSD, this is a good solid read in understanding what is involved in helping to deal with, support of, or just give some plain insight to understanding the effects of PTSD.

Both from either an observational point of view, or, as a 'victim'.

Facing what may have caused you, or others a difficult time because of a life changing experience, is/can be a hard thing to grasp, or even acknowledge. Even for those that are constantly exposed to these life altering situations. I found the book helpful in 'placing' feelings in a way to understand better, the stack of emotional pretzels that some experiences can leave one in. ... Read more

Product Description
No clinical opinion is more problematic, of greater consequence, or more pressing for a solution in military psychiatric medicine than differentiating malingering from posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). During military conflicts, U.S. Armed Forces personnel endure daily hardships and life-threatening situations. For service men and women, the nature of war can produce the stress-related psychiatric condition of PTSD or the conscious simulation of symptoms of PTSD for secondary gain. Since malingering has a significant impact on the military and its mission, the importance of differentiating malingering from genuine PTSD makes it relevant that the present state of the art and science of this process be presented in this book.

To address this need, this book provides a broad view of the literature to recommend effective methodological techniques in detecting simulated PTSD. First, the definition, historical framework, incidence, and impact of malingering are discussed. Next, multiple factors that may influence military psychiatrists' expertise and attitude toward diagnosing malingering are described. Finally, this book explores the theoretical and practical application of statistical methods and psychometric tests to provide empirically grounded probabilistic evidence to support a clinical opinion of malingering. ... Read more

Product Description
The author, who suffered PTSD after the Flight 800 disaster in 1996, shares her personal odyssey through pain to new life. Her strong spiritual beliefs, practical guidance, wisdom, and encouragement offer hope to victims of PTSD and to those who suffer with them. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A powerful message many need to hear
Embracing the Wounds of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder tells the story of Bernadette Cioch, a rescuer who was on the scenes during the tragic airplane accident in 1996 off Long Island, New York. Watching over 250 men, women, and children being brought to shore, too late to save them was heart-rendering. One woman died with her baby in her arms, and a teddy bear was rescued. There were no survivors.

Ms. Cioch and the other rescuers had some serious baggage to work through in the days, weeks and months following this accident. She turned this horrific experience into a book that will reach out to the people suffering from the aftermaths of an horrific event--watching a loved one die, a fatal accident, or even our own country's 9-11.

She starts each chapter with a verse or a saying, then goes into a story about how this related to her and what she experienced, then she adds a reflection part, with a poem, a letter to God, or a song, and then she goes into the time to heal-with questions for you to read through and answer on a separate piece of paper.

I could really see how Embracing the Wounds of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder would be beneficial to anyone suffering from the tragic events that seem to come into our lives from time to time. This book would be beneficial for counselors and pastors to have in their personal libraries, for church libraries, or for anyone who has recently gone through a horrific event. This book would especially be beneficial for those working as rescuers as EMTs.

Armchair Interviews says: Highly recommended. This is a book that will meet the needs of many hurting individuals. ... Read more

Product Description
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a severe anxiety disorder that can develop after exposure to any event which results in psychological trauma. This event may involve the threat of death to oneself or to someone else, or to one's own or someone else's physical, sexual, or psychological integrity, overwhelming the individual's psychological defences. This book presents and discusses topical data on PTSD including: PTSD in refugee communities; linking juvenile delinquency to PTSD; psychosocial factors contributing to resilience in the aftermath of potentially traumatic events in adulthood; genetic markers in suicidal and non-suicidal veterans with combat-related post-traumatic stress disorder; conventional and new treatments for PTSD; and others. ... Read more

Product Description
"Steve Taylor…one of the leaders…has brought together an international team of experts to provide us with the very latest in scientifically sound information on the nature and treatment of PTSD. This book is very worthy of the attention of all who work with psychologically traumatized people."

--from the Foreword by G. Ron Norton, PhD

Professor Emeritus Department of Psychology

University of WinnipegAre behavioral and cognitive-behavioral therapies sufficiently broad in their effects on trauma-related psychopathology and related factors? This volume considers many of the complexities in treating PTSD, and emphasizes evidence-based approaches to treatment.A useful resource for clinicians, trainees, as well as investigators doing research into the treatment of PTSD. ... Read more

Product Description
Since the New York Academy of Sciences sponsored its 1996 conference, Psychobiology of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), in New York City, there have been major research advances in the understanding and treatment of this disorder. Most of the biologic findings presented at the 1996 conference in extremely preliminary form have withstood the test of time and replication, and almost without exception the researchers who presented at the previous conference are still active researchers in the field of PTSD.

The field has undergone a dramatic improvement in the quality of findings -- issues that appeared to be relatively simple ten years ago with only limited data available are now far more complex. However, strategies for examining the psychobiology of PTSD have allowed the field to keep pace with these complexities.

This volume integrates basic science and clinical research, so that both bench researchers and clinicians can develop a comprehensive understanding of recent progress in post-traumatic stress research, including its molecular biology, pathophysiology, neurology, epidemiology, clinical care, and psychosocial management.

NOTE: Annals volumes are available for sale as individual books or as a journal. For information on institutional journal subscriptions, please visit www.blackwellpublishing.com/nyas.

ACADEMY MEMBERS: Please contact the New York Academy of Sciences directly to place your order (www.nyas.org). Members of the New York Academy of Science receive full-text access to the Annals online and discounts on print volumes. Please visit http://www.nyas.org/MemberCenter/Join.aspx for more information about becoming a member. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Excellent research overview of PTSD's effect on mind & body.
This volume presents cutting edge research on how trauma and posttraumatic stress disorder effect both mind and body.It is an excellent book for both scientist and practitioner looking to apply scientific theory towardshelping traumatized individuals.In addition, this book makes a meaningfulcontribution to bridging the mind/body gap.

Excellent research overview of PTSD's effect on mind & body.
This volume presents cutting edge research on how trauma and posttraumatic stress disorder effect both mind and body.It is an excellent book for both scientist and practitioner looking to apply scientific theory towardshelping traumatized individuals.In addition, this book makes a meaningfulcontribution to bridging the mind/body gap. ... Read more

Product Description
Book about PTSD ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Forword ~
Much of the formative research on the diagnosis and treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder was based on work with Vietnam veterans. Recently, however, the professional literature, and treatment itself, have expanded to encompass other survivor groups--rape and assult victims, those who survived major natural and man-made disasters (earthquakes, plane crashes), and those who witnessed or were part of traumatic industrial or highway accidents. We are also beginning to recognize the importance of dealing with the psychological impacts of trauma for those whose work involves daily trauma--police and firefighters, rescue workers, and health care teams.

Indeed, my own work with police officers and with the victims of personal crime has reinforced my convictions that the situational context has singular importance in determining the nature of post-traumatic response. Those who have studied PTSD have acknowledged the effect of contextual variables in the event, but usually only as they apply to the direct trauma itself. Situational factors after the event have been less systemtically considered--that is, the socio-environmental factors that follow the direct trauma. For example, we have learned that we must pay attention, in our cinical dealings, to the homecoming for the Vietnam soldiers, or to the type of interrogation and follow-up care a rape or crime victim received. The chapters by Agosta and McHugh and by Shovar in this book provide particular insight into the ways in which the socio-environmental situation after a trauma can protract or ameliorate the severity of the PTSD response itself. In my estimation, the emphasis on these stressors has been the exceptional contribution of those who have treated and studied the Vietnam veterans population. It has alerted the entire field to the critical importance of context, and in many ways, has helped to demystify the nature of the therapeutic process.

Certainly different survivor groups require carefully tailored therapeutic techniques, but we increasingly find striking simularities across all groups. I am, therefore, especially glad to find that the first edition of this book--Traumatic Stress Disorder among Vietnam Veterans, published by the Diabled American Veterans in 1980--has been substantially expanded to consider other trauma victims as well. This enlarged second edition, written for clinicians and volunteers providing direct services to survivors, reflects a combination of mental health professionalism and "grass roots" experience in dealing with survivors.

The DAV, a nonprofit and nongovernmental organization must be commended for their sponsorship of this volume. As with the earlier edition, they are making it available to practioners at no cost. I sincerely appreciate their dedication to disseminating the knowledge that they have gained in working with Vietnam veterans, and thank them for allowing Tom Williams and his colleagues to share their experience of working with other survivor groups.

Tom Williams, himself a Vietnam veteran, is now a member of the Board of Directors of the Society for Traumatic Stress Disorders and a consultant to the National Organization for Victim Assistance. The authors he has selected are frontline clinicians, not academicians, theoriticians, or administrators. These people, including Tom, deal with trauma victims on a daily basis, and their writing reflects their clinical experience. They talk about survivors from an experiential as well as theoretical base. They tell you what to do and how to do it.

This book is particularly timely now that society is beginning to recognize the effect of traumatic stresses on individuals. The victim advocacy movement and the mental health profession are giving serious attention to PTSD. International terriorism, workers' compensation decisions, and attention to stresses in protective services have all added to the growing interest in preventing the development of chronic PTSD and of effectively treating the disorder when it does appear.

Morton Bard, Ph.D.
Professor Emeritus of Psychology
The Graduate School
The City University of New York ... Read more

Product Description
Horrific Traumata shares the stories of persons whose meaning, hope, and faith were ripped from them by others or traumatic events and who live with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Since the Vietnam War, therapists have come to understand victims of severe emotional trauma with new understanding and, with better ability, have come to learn how to heal the awful effects of their traumas. Now the ranks of traumatized Vietnam veterans are joined by others who have also experienced horrific traumata and need help to rebuild their lives from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)--victims and survivors of incest and rape, hostage situations, and other events outside the range of ordinary human suffering.

Duncan Sinclair provides direct insight into the clinical and psychological aspects of PTSD. He presents a clear and workable understanding of the nature of PTSD which gives clergy and other involved persons direct insight into the causes of many behaviors. Horrific Traumata focuses on the church’s readiness and obligation to incorporate traumatized victims into the center of grace and healing. Clergy of all specialities now have a means of seeing behind the masks of hurt and isolation to the long-standing and disabling trauma. Sinclair shows how to promote the healing process through a range of parish activities as well as in clinical settings. Guidelines for promoting healing include the key concepts of how to listen compassionately and how to create safe places in which victims may heal during the rebuilding of hope and faith. Scriptures used throughout develop a hopefulness that must be maintained for healing.

Based on the quintessential understanding that current life stressors open past wounds in ways that leave them open, Sinclair guides professionals and clergy in treating the whole traumatized person. Clergy of all specialities, pastors, chaplains, pastoral counselors, seminary students, clinical pastoral educators, and students will find healing words for hurting people in this book. Clinical specialists in all disciplines who wish to view clients’lives from a clinical and faith position will find the stories and clinical suggestions in this book to be a modern goldmine. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A Much NeededPerspective on PTSD
I am the wife of a Viet Nam veteran and we are both struggling mightily with the effects of his delayed PTS.I have my own bookshelf with the PTS 'classics', but Duncan Sinclair's book is the first I have encountered to acknowledge, discuss and address the spiritual wound of trauma.

Sinclair was a two tour chaplain in Viet Nam and suffered life altering effects of PTS himself following being called to assist the wounded and dying after the Tet Offensive.He is also a degreed therapist.Though his own suffering was war related, he fully identifies and relates to trauma by other causes.

As anyone who has lived with or undergone treatment for trauma will understand, there is more to PTS than healing the mental and emotional wounds.Many survivors see improvement but are left helpless with residual effects.For the first time, I have came to see there is also a spiritual wound that co-exists and must also be addressed for real healing to occur.While psychology is making great inroads into identifying and treating PTS, it cannot address the spiritual wound.

This book is for anyone with PTS who has done the work and has seen improvement but can't understand why they remain affected; for wives, children and families who also suffer the effects of trauma in loved ones; for professionals who treat trauma and have the courage to admit part of this wound remains beyond the reach of science and who have the compassion to desire deeper understanding of their patient's ongoing pain; for all ministers or pastors who do not know how to respond when confronted by persons wounded by trauma; for anyone who is researching PTS in addition to the better known trauma titles as this will not conflict with accepted information on trauma it will add to it.

Sinclair's book is very readable, concise and not complicated.The subtitle, 'A Pastoral Response...' is apt - though I would add the word 'Intelligent'.The title, Horrific Traumata, frightened me a bit as I dread reading books that endlessly recall detailed horrors of traumas but Sinclair does not do more than give a few apt examples to set the stage for discussion.Also, some books on trauma I find to be less-than-helpful personal purges for those who seek recovery but are stuck in the past - not so here.If you fear that a Christian minister's approach to PTS might be trite or an evangelical's sales job, I assure you will not find those things here.Sinclair has done a brilliant job of being survivor, therapist and pastor in one whole professional yet spiritual man.Non-Christians will not feel threatened by this book yet believing Christians will see the root of real healing.

I feel this book was well worth the high price and consider it an important and unique read for the hurting. ... Read more