Treatment of Complex Trauma: A Sequenced, Relationship-Based Approach

by Christine A. Courtois PhD, ABPP, Julian D. Ford PhD, ABPP, John Briere PhD (Foreword by)

Overview

This insightful guide provides a pragmatic roadmap for treating adult survivors of complex psychological trauma. Christine Courtois and Julian Ford present their effective, research-based approach for helping clients move through three clearly defined phases of posttraumatic recovery. Two detailed case examples run throughout the book, illustrating how to plan and implement strengths-based interventions that use a secure therapeutic alliance as a catalyst for change. Essential topics include managing crises, treating severe affect dysregulation and dissociation, and therapist self-care. The companion website offers downloadable reflection questions for clinicians and extensive listings of professional and self-help resources. A new preface in the paperback and e-book editions addresses key scientific advances.

See also Drs. Courtois and Ford's edited volumes, Treating Complex Traumatic Stress Disorders (Adults) and Treating Complex Traumatic Stress Disorders in Children and Adolescents, which present research on the nature of complex trauma and review evidence-based treatment models.

Winner (Second Place)--American Journal of Nursing Book of the Year Award, Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing Category

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781462507191
Publisher:	Guilford Publications, Inc.
Publication date:	10/22/2012
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	378
File size:	1 MB

About the Author

Christine A. Courtois, PhD, ABPP, a board-certified counseling psychologist, is retired from private practice in Washington, DC, and is a consultant/trainer on topics on trauma psychology and treatment. She cofounded and then served for 16 years as Clinical and Training Director of The CENTER: Posttraumatic Disorders Program, in Washington, DC. Dr. Courtois was chair of the Clinical Practice Guideline for the Treatment of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Adults for the American Psychological Association (APA), released in 2017, and for guidelines on the treatment of complex trauma for several professional organizations. She has published a number of books (four of them coedited or coauthored with Julian Ford) and numerous book chapters and articles on trauma-related topics. Dr. Courtois is past president of APA Division 56 (Trauma Psychology) and past founding Associate Editor of the Division's journal, Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy. She served two terms on the Board of Directors of the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies (ISTSS). She has received the Award for Distinguished Contributions to Independent Practice from the APA, the Sarah Haley Award for Clinical Excellence from ISTSS, and, most recently, the Award for Distinguished Service and Contributions to the Profession of Psychology from the American Board of Professional Psychology.

Julian D. Ford, PhD,ABPP, a clinical psychologist, is Professor of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Law at the University of Connecticut, where he is also Director of the Center for Trauma Recovery and Juvenile Justice. He has served on the Steering Committee of the National Child Traumatic Stress Network, as Associate Editor of the Journal of Trauma and Dissociation and the European Journal of Psychotraumatology, as Co-Chair of the Presidential Task Force on Child Trauma for the APA Division 56, and as a board member and Vice President of ISTSS. With Christine A. Courtois, Dr. Ford is a recipient of the Print Media Award from ISSTD for their coedited volume Treating Complex Traumatic Stress Disorders; he has also published several other books on trauma-related topics. Dr. Ford developed and conducts research on the Trauma Affect Regulation: Guide for Education and Therapy (TARGET) psychosocial intervention for adolescents, adults, and families.

 

Table of Contents

Foreword by John Briere
I. Overview of Complex Traumatic Stressors and Sequelae
1. Complex Trauma and Traumatic Stress Reactions
2. Complex Traumatic Stress Reactions and Disorders
II. Treatment of Complex Traumatic Stress Reactions and Disorders
3. Preparing for Treatment of Complex Trauma
4. Treatment Goals and Assessment
5. Phase 1: Safety, Stabilization, and Engagement—Measured in Skills, Not Time
6. Phases 2 and 3: Trauma Memory, Emotion Processing, and Application to the Present and Future
7. Systemic Therapy across Phases: Group, Couple, and Family Modalities
III. Advanced Treatment Considerations and Relational Issues
8. Into the Breach: Voids, Absences, and the Posttraumatic/Dissociative Relational Field
9. Walking the Walk: The Therapeutic Relationship
10. Transference and Countertransference in Complex Trauma Treatment
Postscript
References
Index
 

Interviews

Clinical psychologists, clinical social workers, psychiatrists, psychiatric nurses, and counselors. May serve as a supplemental text in graduate-level courses.

Editorial Reviews

“Courtois and Ford have demonstrated that they are masters of their subject and are masterful in communicating about the treatment of a very difficult patient population and have contributed a masterpiece in their book….This book is not only essential reading for therapists who want to take on the challenge of treating patients with complex trauma but also an excellent source for any professional who engages in psychotherapy. The reader comes away with not only important tools in establishing a meaningful relationship with patients but also a sense of the gratification that results from treating patients and being a partner in their growth and development.”

Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease

“Courtois and Ford have demonstrated that they are masters of their subject and are masterful in communicating about the treatment of a very difficult patient population and have contributed a masterpiece in their book….This book is not only essential reading for therapists who want to take on the challenge of treating patients with complex trauma but also an excellent source for any professional who engages in psychotherapy. The reader comes away with not only important tools in establishing a meaningful relationship with patients but also a sense of the gratification that results from treating patients and being a partner in their growth and development.”--The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease

The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease

"Both authors have worked extensively with survivors of complex trauma, and share their wisdom and experience in this book. At a time when this clinical population is becoming more visible to clinicians, this thoughtful, extensively documented work is a real treasure. The book has already had a profound effect on the field, and has introduced many previously unaware clinicians to foundational concepts. The emphasis on therapist self-care and the ways in which the authors underscore the central importance of therapist self-awareness and self-regulation are particularly valuable."--Laura S. Brown, PhD, ABPP, past president, Division of Trauma Psychology, American Psychological Association; private practice, Seattle, Washington

"Courtois and Ford, two internationally acknowledged experts, have written a magnificent book on the nature and phase-oriented treatment of complex trauma. Destined to become an instant classic, the book is illustrated throughout with instructive case material. It is at once an excellent guide for the uninitiated and an outstanding resource for experienced clinicians in the field. As most forms of complex trauma occur in interpersonal relationships, the book's emphasis on the therapeutic relationship as the vehicle for healing contributes to its importance."--Onno van der Hart, PhD, Emeritus Professor of Psychopathology of Chronic Traumatization, Utrecht University, The Netherlands

"Treatment of Complex Trauma is an excellent book for graduate Complex Trauma courses, as it provides a wide range of treatment strategies for clinicians to use with clients. The book give students a thorough understanding of PTSD and complex trauma. It offers a comprehensive overview of treatment measures, ways to build the therapeutic relationship, and clinician self-care."--Toby Spiegel, PsyD, Associate Dean, School of Behavioral Sciences, California Southern University

"The state of the art of treating complex trauma, both the basics and the nuances, as summarized by two wise and sophisticated experts."--Judith Lewis Herman, MD, Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School

"Finally! We have long needed a clinical guidebook that takes treatment providers through the process of therapy for complex posttraumatic stress syndromes, which are among the greatest challenges that professionals encounter. Courtois and Ford's broad and deep clinical experience shines through in their discussion of assessment, engagement, and treatment--as do their optimism, passion, and hope."--Sandra L. Bloom, MD, founder, The Sanctuary Model

"Courtois and Ford provide detailed guidelines for conducting their sequenced treatment approach, from preparation, assessment, and planning, to each of the phases of therapy. The book covers the 'meat and potatoes' of trauma therapy: ensuring client safety, cultivating the therapeutic relationship, and processing trauma memories. It includes strategies from different theoretical approaches and treatment modalities and addresses more complex processes, such as psychic emptiness and dissociation. Written with exceptional clarity, compassion, and respect, and richly illustrated with clinical material, this is an invaluable resource for clinicians."--Sandra C. Paivio, PhD, CPsych, Department of Psychology, University of Windsor, Ontario, Canada

From the Publisher

Reviewer: Ileana Ungureanu, MD, PhD, LMFT (Adler School of Professional Psychology)
Description: This is a comprehensive work on the treatment of complex traumatic stress disorders, including the specific aspects of treating individuals, couples, families, and groups.
Purpose: The authors' goal is to provide mental health practitioners who work with complex trauma situations a guide for treating their clients, as well as a more in-depth understanding of these disorders and how they affect the lives of those suffering. It is a much needed book, due to a relative scarcity of literature dealing with complex trauma.
Audience: It can be useful to graduate students in training to be clinicians as well as to skillful therapists looking for more information in addressing very difficult situations with their clients. Both audiences can rely on these authors' work. Dr. Courtois is the past president of the Psychological Trauma Division of the American Psychological Association, and Dr. Ford is the associate editor of the Journal of Trauma and Dissociation, one of the premiere peer-reviewed journals in the field.
Features: While PTSD (posttraumatic stress disorder) has received a lot of research attention lately, complex trauma has failed to receive the recognition it needs as one of the most challenging situations therapists can encounter in their professional life. This book fills this particular scholarly void. It also addresses the relational impact of trauma. Many times complex trauma is perpetrated in relationships, sometimes in intimate relationships (parent-child, romantic partners). Until now, these aspects were not necessarily addressed in a comprehensive book about complex trauma. Using an attachment theory lens, the authors masterfully talk about the impact of trauma on couples and families, also addressing the very important topic of the therapeutic relationship as a secure base for clients suffering from trauma. The case examples throughout the book illustrate in a very poignant way the different aspects of treatment.
Assessment: This is a must-have for any clinician working with patients with trauma on a daily basis and for those therapists who do not necessarily have a specialization in trauma, but would like to get more knowledgeable about complex trauma. It should also be a required textbook for graduate students, especially doctoral level students interested in working in and/or researching PTSD situations.

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