Winner of the 2011 International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation (ISSTD) Pierre Janet Writing Award.
A patient-oriented manual for complex trauma survivors.
This training manual for patients who have a trauma-related dissociative disorder includes short educational pieces, homework sheets, and exercises that address ways in which dissociation interferes with essential emotional and life skills, and support inner communication and collaboration with dissociative parts of the personality. Topics include understanding dissociation and PTSD, using inner reflection, emotion regulation, coping with dissociative problems related to triggers and traumatic memories, resolving sleep problems related to dissociation, coping with relational difficulties, and help with many other difficulties with daily life. The manual can be used in individual therapy or structured groups.
It’s amazing that trauma therapy only started getting published in the 1970s. This is new information for us humans. Took me over 50 years of living before I realized that of “fight, flight or freeze,” I’d freeze. My “freeze” was so thorough I didn’t realize that I froze.
I’m a physically tough guy, very outdoorsy and brave externally. It wasn’t until I was in my 40s to realize that I’m the opposite and quite sensitive and not that resilient to my own unpleasant inner experiences. In fact, I chickened out and avoid my unpleasant inner experiences, which has slowly disconnected me from life.
I picked up this book because it was mentioned in Pete Walker's "Complex PTSD" book as a work helpful for those who have "freeze" as one of their main responses to trauma.
The book is written in a very nonjudgmental way, which is helpful for those of us who are easily triggered by criticism. The chapters are very short, which is good for people who are easily overwhelmed. I learned a lot about myself through this book and was able to develop some skills to help myself as I heal from complex PTSD.