Trauma Transformed

Trauma Transformed is must reading for therapists in substance abuse counseling, mental health counseling, and work with war veterans, and above all social workers engaged in disaster relief efforts. There is a wealth of knowledge in these pages that will benefit all practitioners. The topics covered are timely and highly relevant to social work practice in today's world.Trauma Transformed is one of the most fascinating books to come out in social work in some time. The use of personal narratives by practitioners who have worked in various aspects of trauma therapy--with children, with disaster victims, with warveterans--is an extremely effective style of presentation. The situations of relationship, refugee, combat, historical-cultural, and collective trauma are all covered. Rare for an edited volume of this sort, each chapter is as beautifully written as the last. Ican't wait to refer my students to this book. -- Katherine van Wormer, author of Human Behavior and the Social Environment, Micro Level

Offers approaches necessary for successful and empowering interventions across the trauma spectrum. This book provides insight into the psychological and spiritual resources practitioners need to help victims move forward and improve upon their circumstances. It helps readers learn to strengthen their sense of self to prevent secondary trauma.Whether it's physical, psychological, social, historical, or ongoing, trauma is a universal experience, and this book provides professionals with the approaches necessary for successful and empowering interventions across the trauma spectrum. Part one examines the steps individuals take to heal their traumas. Nicolas survives an attack by his own dog; Tay rebuilds her life after years of incest; Claire speaks out about being molested by a program participant at her mental health clinic; and Erma copes with the shattering memories of childhood abuse. Part two focuses on interpersonal dynamics. Frank is held accountable for his violence toward his wife; Erin and her mother confront the reality of bullying and victimization in schools; Beth faces discrimination because of her sexual orientation; and staff members at a transitional housing shelter deal with the death of a client. Part three recounts stories of resilience and healing at the social and community level. Salome and her family process the historical trauma of the massacre of her American Indian ancestors. A group of boys who became fatherless after 9/11 respond to experiential ways of coping with their grief. Jennifer and Kim live daily with the social trauma of poverty. Three Liberian families survive torture, flight, refugee camps, and resettlement. Amory struggles to find meaning and move on from his experience as a combat veteran, and the story of Angelina Batiste epitomizes the loss and resilience of those who lived through Hurricane Katrina. Trauma Transformed provides insight into the psychological and spiritual resources practitioners need to help victims move forward and improve upon their circumstances. Readers will also learn to strengthen their sense of self to prevent secondary trauma.