Be sure and check out our "Books" section here (http://www.outofthestorm.website/books-1/).
Also, if you have a good book or article you've read that relates to CPTSD in one way or another, please feel free to share it here. :yes:
This book was developed by volunteers from the popular online community for people dealing with someone in their lives who has a personality disorder (PD) "Out of the FOG." It contains a wealth of information based on the experience and knowledge of members, and is a great resource for anyone who developed CPTSD as a result of the ongoing/repeated trauma of dealing with someone with a PD.
See - http://outofthefog.net/forum/index.php?topic=7583
Waking the Tiger : Healing Trauma : The Innate Capacity to Transform Overwhelming Experiences - a book on Somatic Experiencing by Peter Levine, the developer of SE.
I'm reading through it for the second time. The first time was two years ago; now I'm reading it after two years of therapy and a lot of new awareness.
John Bradshaw's seminal book on shame - "Healing the Shame that Binds You" (2005 revised edition). One of the main characteristics of CPTSD is a pervasive sense of shame which as Bradshaw suggests "...limits the development of self esteem and causes anxiety and depression, and limits our ability to be connected in relationships." I read the first edition years ago when I was a member of a group Adult Children of Alcoholics (ACoA) and found it very useful as he spends a good part of the book talking about strategies for recovery.
http://www.johnbradshaw.com/Healingtheshameprint.aspx
Added 13 Sep 2014 - I browsed through the current edition of Toxic Shame and wanted to add a caution here. Bradshaw's work does contain references to the 12 Step Program and concepts Alcoholic Anonymous uses for recovery. This is troublesome for me and apparently for others based on the following which is taken from a workbook "Surviving to Thriving" from the Australian web site "Adult Survivors of Childhood Abuse (http://www.ascasupport.org/manual.php):
ASCA is a recovery program based on psychological concepts of recovery. While many ideas represented in 12-Step programs may be
valuable for survivors of child abuse, some are not. In particular, many survivors have difficulty with the idea of "surrendering to a higher power." The challenge for many survivors is to find the power to change within oneself, not in an outside source. This is related to the fact that, for most survivors, the source of power and control was always located outside of themselves, in their parent or other abuser.
To find the power to change from within is to break old, persistent patterns. Some survivors also have problems with some 12-Step programs' recurring
themes of forgiveness, blame and misplaced responsibility. 12-Step programs start with the belief that the individual has committed wrongs, is responsible for those wrongs and must make amends to others for those wrongs. These beliefs are not particularly applicable to survivors of child abuse. Adult survivors were abused as children. As children, they had no control or choice over the abuse, and it was not their fault that the abuse occurred. The abuse was the doing of another person (or persons), and many adult survivors do not feel that they should make amends for behavior that was not their responsibility and over which they had no control.
Bradshaw's book does contain much good information about toxic shame but if you read it, please keep the above in mind.
I started the hunt for a follow up to Walkers book.
Tough act to follow! I watched Bradshaw in the 80s and am looking at
Trauma Treatment Handbook by Robin Shapiro
because it has good reviews and exercises to do.
I think the exercises would help me as it forces me to take time to think. I'm much too easily distracted by the outside world (but getting better at avoidance!) vs channeling energy into battling inner demons.
Does any one know this book or others with exercises? I feel I'm past the intro work and need a bit deeper material...
Thanks.
Oops...that Book by Shapiro is for therapists...
Well then. Does anyone know a book with exercises?
Are you looking for a particular kind of exercise GT? I know there are quite a few good books on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, but not sure if that's what you're looking for.
Some kind of exercises that will aid in digging deeper with the self exploration and touch into feelings. For example, a friend has been tasked with writing a letter to her mother, which she'll never send, but that type of thing has to be healing (and hey, I think I may try that).
Writing is helpful, but sometimes it would help to have an assignment or a topic, direction, etc., or even some subject to think about with the purpose of aiding healing. Art therapy sites are good for that, but I'm looking for ways to keep focused and keep working. Reading and therapy are good, but I need another direction of push. Does that make sense? I suppose there are probably a few websites if no books, specifically.
I fouund what looks to be a good book today GT - it's called "Healing from Trauma: A Survivor's Guide to Understanding your Symptoms and Reclaiming your Life (2007) by Jasmin Lee Cori. It isn't about CPTSD specifically but a lot of what she discusses seem to be related to it.
The description reads as follows:
While there are many different approaches to healing trauma, few offer a wide range of perspectives and options. With innovative insight into trauma-related difficulties, Jasmin Lee Cori helps you:
Understand trauma and its devastating impacts Identify symptoms of trauma (dissociation, numbing, etc.) and common mental health problems that stem from trauma
Manage traumatic reactions and memories
Create a more balanced life that supports your recovery
Choose appropriate interventions (therapies, self-help groups, medications and alternatives)
Recognize how far you've come in your healing and what you need to keep growing
Complete with exercises, healing stories, points to remember, and resources, this is a perfect companion for anyone seeking to reclaim their life from the devastating impacts of trauma.
Link - http://www.amazon.ca/Healing-Trauma-Survivors-Understanding-Reclaiming/dp/1600940617
Thanks, Kizzie! - I like what I'm seeing in the table of contents. I think I'll check it out.
No prob :)
Can you let us know if you do get it what you think?
Yes, I sure will...taking a break with some fiction before I go back to dealing with the brainwreck!
Hey GT (and everyone) - I found a new web site today which has some free downloads including workbooks such as "Survivor to Thriver" - http://www.ascasupport.org/_html_manuals/survivortothriver/index.html. It's a bit older (1995) but has lots of exercises including a three stage self-help recovery plan (1 - Remembering; 2 - Mourning; and, 3 - Healing).
thanks, Kizzie - this looks like the kind of thing I was looking for. I think the journal prompts will be helpful.
Yes I thought so too - it maps out a route of stages and steps which is helpful and can be used with Walker's material.
Onward!
Tks for this Rain. I see I am not the only one who has a full bookcase of self-help books lol. I used to hide them all when my FOO came to visit -- very nice now that I am LC and NC to feel OK leaving them in the bookcase.
Oh, you did not put fake book covers on your self-help books? You know, with fake titles like "Needlepoint Patterns" and "Backgammon Strategies" and "Wood Heating Factors" on the spines. ;D
LC and NC works even better....
What a great idea lol :doh: wish I'd thought of it.
I agree though LC and NC - much better!
giggles here! Who knows if I would actually do that!
Say, Kizzie ...what are some of your current favorite recovery books? I'm always searching for new ones.
I thought I posted this but apparently I did not - maybe I mis-posted elsewhere. Hrm.
Does anyone have a book to recommend on attachment disorders>
Quote from: globetrotter on September 26, 2014, 06:43:19 PM
Does anyone have a book to recommend on attachment disorders>
'Attachment in Psychotherapy' is an excellent book. It is written for professionals but it did help me understand it.
Author: David J. Wallin
http://www.DavidJWallin.com/explorethebook.cfm
There is an excerpt on this link and to the amazon link (which lists the TOC).
Peter Levine - In an Unspoken Voice
Very good descriptions about what happens physically & chemically in the brain. Explains the results of trauma on the body and how we end up disconnected from our body, and how to reconnect.
Babette Rothschild - The Body Remembers
A guide to integrate body and mind after trauma. Written mostly for clinicians, I found it helpful to understand the signs of my body.
Legal Abuse Syndrome by Karin Huffner.
This book is an absolute must read for anyone who is going through the legal system. The layout and typeface is well thought out especially for those who have PTSD symptoms either as a part of the legal system or are already suffering from such symptoms. The author definitely understands the damage and for one I am immensely grateful it has been written. This is very useful!
Tks for the book recommendation, I am so interested in this syndrome. I've never heard of it but I can well imagine how traumatic legal wranglings can become having heard a few horror stories.
I just posted something under "Acronyms" asking you more about LAS. Perhaps when you're comfortable you could post an Intro and let us know how you came in contact with LAS?
anyone watched or read Judith Herman?
Posted this in my intro - this is the best book I've read to date.
THE HAUNTED SELF uk
Onno van der Hart, Ellert R.S. Nijenhuis, Kathy Steele
Description:
QuoteThey typically have a wide array of symptoms, often classified under different combinations of comorbidity, which can make assessment and treatment complicated and confusing for the therapist. Many patients have substantial problems with daily living and relationships, including serious intrapsychic conflicts and maladaptive coping strategies. Their suffering essentially relates to a terrifying and painful past that haunts them. Even when survivors attempt to hide their distress beneath a facade of normality a common strategy therapists often feel besieged by their many symptoms and serious pain. Small wonder that many survivors of chronic traumatization have seen several therapists with little if any gains, and that quite a few have been labeled as untreatable or resistant. In this book, three leading researchers and clinicians share what they have learned from treating and studying chronically traumatized individuals across more than 65 years of collective experience. Based on the theory of structural dissociation of the personality in combination with a Janetian psychology of action, the authors have developed a model of phase-oriented treatment that focuses on the identification and treatment of structural dissociation and related maladaptive mental and behavioral actions. The foundation of this approach is to support patients in learning more effective mental and behavioral actions that will enable them to become more adaptive in life and to resolve their structural dissociation. This principle implies an overall therapeutic goal of raising the integrative capacity, in order to cope with the demands of daily life and deal with the haunting remnants of the past, with the unfinished business of traumatic memories. Of interest to clinicians, students of clinical psychology and psychiatry, as well as to researchers, all those interested in adult survivors of chronic child abuse and neglect will find helpful insights and tools that may make the treatment more effective and efficient, and more tolerable for the suffering patient."
Reviews:
Quote"This book is required reading for everybody working in the trauma field. It contains a wealth of' new information, ideas, and propositions. It is a pioneering work, a milestone in the trauma field."
--Tijdschrift voor Psychiatrie (Dutch Flemish Journal of Psychiatry), July 2008
"I wish the information in this book had been available 30 years ago when I became aware of the variety of survival responses a chronically abused or neglected child could develop to confound their adult therapy. The book's in-depth discussion of abuse issues addresses both clinical and theoretical questions around trauma-related disorders. A clear, non-traumatizing psychotherapy for the patient (and the therapist) is this book's purpose, which it achieves brilliantly. The authors propose theory, research and treatment that are not only understandable, but applicable to effective and efficient assessment and treatment."
"An unusual epilogue gives a moving tribute to patients and to the person of the therapist who undertakes this difficult work. I was deeply impressed by this glimpse into the experience and dedication of the three authors. They have given the field of trauma treatment a monumental work. I recommend this book to anyone likely to treat adults abused as children, children just out of an abusive situation, and to any adult experiencing post-traumatic stress."
--Voices: The Art and Science of Psychotherapy,
Winter 2007
"The title of this book, which lays out a groundbreaking approach to the theory and therapy of psychological trauma, is, like much that lies inside, both evocative and precise. (...) The field of psychological trauma and dissociative disorders, closely lined with childhood abuse, is often criticised (at times caustically) by the mainstream psychiatric press for fuzzy thinking and soft-hearted values. However, this carefully reasoned, cogently argued and well-written book—the fruit of decades of clinical experience and research (...)—should go a long way toward dispelling that view."
"The Haunted Self is, without a doubt, one of the most important books to come out of the trauma field in many decades and should serve to revitalise and transform the field. It should be read not only by clinicians working in the trauma field and interested researchers, but also by trauma sceptics as the theory (the authors are at pains to point out) is eminently testable and can be empirically judged by those who doubt its implications. Last, but certainly not least, The Haunted Self provides a welcome opportunity to reconsider the relevance of Pierre Janet's theories, which continue to provide rich clinical and theoretical insights."
--British Journal of Psychiatry, December 2007
"No other modern texts gives such a complete synthesis of Janet's psychology of action and none go as far in defining psychological trauma syndromes in forms of the sorts of dissociative splitting of personality that can be persuasively conceptualized as being influenced by developmental age, duration, type and extent of trauma, relationship to perpetrators etc. Given the manner in which a theoretical construct is developed to illuminate close similarities between conditions not always conceptualized that way, I am reminded of Janet's book, "Major Symptoms of Hysteria," (1907) based on fifteen lectures given in the Harvard Medical School in 1906, exactly 100 years before the publication of Van der Hart, Nijenhuis and Steele's equally illuminating and thought-provoking synthesis."
"This is a well-written, well-structured and thought-provoking book that challenges us to think very seriously about the multiple trauma derived states that we encounter so frequently in our patients."
--Traumatic StressPoints, December 2007
"Onno van der Hart, Ellert R. S. Nijenhuis and Kathy Steele have come as close as I can imagine to writing the definitive book on trauma, dissociation, and the complicated treatment of [trauma-related] disorders. Their book, The Haunted Self, is an elegant integration of theory, research, and clinical practice about the struggles endured by survivors of complex and repeated trauma. (...) The ideas of structural dissociation—complicated for beginning clinicians—made immediate sense to women with lived experience of trauma, confirming my belief that the authors could not be more right in what they have to teach us."
--Psychiatric Services, September 2007
"This wide-ranging, scholarly book represents the coming of age of a contemporary European perspective on Janet's theory of dissociation and its wedding to the rich tradition of previous works emanating from North America. (...) t contains a wealth of insights for those who seek to develop their skills in working with this particular client group. This book is rich in detail, a book to be read and a book to be kept at hand for reference. The scope of this review does not allow me do justice to the depth of understanding of the inner life of trauma patients that these authors demonstrate; the book would be worth reading for that alone. For its analysis of structural dissociation and its recommendations for phased but flexible treatment it must truly be described as a landmark book."
--Journal of Analytical Psychology, September 2007
I just ordered this book that Schrödinger's cat recommended on another thread:
http://www.amazon.com/Stalking-Soul-Marie-France-Hirigoyen/dp/188558699X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1413363758&sr=8-1&keywords=hirigoyen
It'll be here this weekend. Very excited! (I'll let you know what my impressions are in a week or so ;) ).
:party:
My favorite books, some expensive, hard to find, written for professionals, but so what.
DIBS In Search Of Self by Virginia Axline----details a boys therapy in finding himself. Tear-jerker for me.
Using Self-Psychology in Child Psychotherapy by Jule Miller III----Case examples of therapy sessions with children with different problems. Unique book. Helps if you know what self-psychology therapy is, but even if you don't, the stories are very strong. Guaranteed to trigger Inner Child emotions, imo.
Psychotherapy of the Submerged Personality by Wolf & Kutash----been a long time, but I even bought a second copy for a friend and sent it to him down south.
Object Relations In Severe Trauma by Stephen Prior----underlining and stars throughout my copy! It's about treating CSA victims, but I could still relate to much of the same resulting mentality and other aspects.
Psychotherapy With "Impossible" Cases by Duncan, Hubble, and Miller----This was affirming to me that I was not a lost cause, and WHY I wasn't.
Treating the Self by Ernest Wolf----another self-psychology theory book about how to heal.
And of course Complex PTSD by Pete Walker----best explanation of symptoms and grief work I've come across.
A couple days ago, someone was asking about defensiveness in relating to difficult members of her FOO. I can't find that post again, so I'll add the resource that I thought might be helpful to this list of great books
Toxic Parents by Susan Forward -- Chapter 11, The Beginnings of Self-Definition has sections on responding vs. reacting, nondefinsiveness and position statements.
Regarding attachment, I learned a lot about the importance and mechanism of attachment (but not specifically about attachment disorders) from:
Roots of Empathy by Mary Gorden -- it's a rationale for and account of a classroom program to teach empathy and reduce aggression in school children. The big aha for me was that empathy can't be taught conventionally -- you have to experience it in a good-enough relationship.
Running on Empty by Jonice Webb PhD. is about the massive negative impact of emotional neglect on a child because of the lack of parenting (for many different reasons which she details.)
It causes a long list of symptoms such as suicidal ideation, self-injury, numbing, inability to identify ones wants and needs, lack of self-care, eating disorders, anxiety, depression, etc.
EN is often overlooked because the phrase "emotional abuse and neglect" is used. EN seems like tag along and seems "secondary" or a "what is it" kind of word in the phrase. Emotional abuse is more of what people think of, not the absence of something which is neglect. Emotional Abuse (sin of commission) and Emotional Neglect (sin of omission).
Dr. Webb does an outstanding job of showing how the "absence of" was so harmful.
Thank you, Rain, for being so well-read and willing to share and summarize your reading! :yes:
I get all of my therapy from books and this forum. My family and I are all "un." As if no one has ever heard of needing a T. Despite the depression, suicides, attempted suicides, avoidance behaviors, ungrieved losses, to name a few, no one wants to voice the words or get help. Where I live is remote enough that the Ts are not knowledgeable about cptsd and they were only concerned with raising my self-esteem and not dealing with the root issues. Some time ago a doctor had me on anti-depressants that kind of made me function better but I felt they only masked the problem. At that time I didn't know about cptsd.
I am listening to The Body Keeps the Score and I ordered it also. I ordered Running on Empty. So read on, Rain, and keep up the helpful posts. I am very grateful for you. :hug:
You are so welcome, Whobuddy. I'm shaking my head on what you write with your situation there.
I look forward to your book reviews, Whobuddy.
Say, you said you are an Audible fan. How much is that per month? I keep thinking I should just buy the audio books as I need them from Amazon, and I usually do it with buying both the Kindle ebook, and then lesser priced audio book. Also, if I ever stop using Audible, then those audio files do not "disappear"
This is my thinking, but I am new to audio books. What is your strategy? :yes:
Quote from: Rain on December 29, 2014, 02:18:20 PM
Say, you said you are an Audible fan. How much is that per month? I keep thinking I should just buy the audio books as I need them from Amazon, and I usually do it with buying both the Kindle ebook, and then lesser priced audio book. Also, if I ever stop using Audible, then those audio files do not "disappear"
This is my thinking, but I am new to audio books. What is your strategy? :yes:
My strategy? I am currently living in the "now" so to speak and I have no idea if my audio books will disappear. I think if I save them to my computer then I will be able to keep them. It is about 15 dollars a month for one credit. One credit is one book if it costs one dollar or fifty. So I try to only get ones that are 10 hours or more. I also have access to library books for free but the selection is not that great. I use the library audios for the fluff novels that help me when I am doing housework or mindless things at work.
I don't have a Kindle but I have been thinking about it. Can you take notes or highlight in a Kindle book?
Thanks, Whobuddy! You are really the one that got me thinking about doing more audio books. :hug:
Hi, Rain.
I read the reviews on Amazon about this book and one of the complaints is the fact that it is explanatory but does not offer any solutions or steps toward healing or resolution, etc. What are your thoughts on this? How did you find it in "helping" vs "informing"?
OK, slacker here.
I've meant to buy a new book to aid in recovery but have been happy to bury myself in fiction this winter.
So, of course I have read Pete's book.
I have read Taming the Tiger.
Anyone have suggestions on the quintessential book?
Reviews here lean heavily toward The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma by Bessel van der Kolk, 5 stars on Amazon.
Should I put that in my queue? I started to read the sample which was heavy in combat trauma.
Thank you for your suggestions.
Hi WN - I just stumbled on this book (and I've been away so someone else may have already added it). Anyway, she's quite well known and respected in the field of trauma, but up until now has written more academic articles and books geared towards professionals. This one sounds like it's written more for the layperson. I included the description below.
It's Not You, It's What Happened to You: Complex Trauma and Treatment
Dr. Christine Courtois has simplified her extensive and, until now, quite scholarly work geared toward understanding and developing the concept of "complex trauma," and the assessment and treatment thereof. A universally acknowledged leader in this emerging psychotherapeutic field, Dr. Courtois provides here an abbreviated and easy-to-read explanation of what complex trauma is, how it develops, the ways in which it manifests, and how it can effectively be dealt with.
The book opens with an explanation of trauma in general—providing historical perspective, examining the various types of traumatic experience, and looking in-depth at the chronic, repetitive, and layered forms of trauma that often build upon and reinforce one another to create complex trauma. Next Dr. Courtois discusses trauma-driven emotional turmoil, and trauma's effects on memory, self-image, relationships, and even physical wellbeing. She then provides readers with a basic understanding of the ways in which complex trauma is diagnosed and assessed, with an explanation of all common trauma-related diagnoses—including stress disorders (such as PTSD), dissociative reactions and disorders, and frequently co-occurring issues (addictions, self-injury, sleep disorders, etc.)
In the book's final section, Dr. Courtois presents rudimentary information about the ways in which complex trauma and related issues can effectively be treated, including brief explanations of all psychotherapeutic methods that might be used. Importantly, she discusses in detail the sequenced, three-stage treatment model she has developed for work with addicted survivors of complex trauma, recognizing that complex trauma and addictions are often interrelated in powerful ways, and unless both issues are addressed simultaneously, the client may not heal from either.
Though It's Not You, It's What Happened to You is written for people new to the concept of complex trauma and how it may be affecting them or a loved one, clinicians will also find the work useful, relying on it as a way to bolster their own knowledge and, perhaps more importantly, as a tool for informing their traumatized clients about the degree and nature of the psychotherapeutic work to come.
I downloaded the It's Not You, It's What Happened to You: Complex Trauma and Treatment by Dr. Courtois.
It was free with a Kindle Prime membership, or $2.99 if you aren't. It's about 12o pages long. I read about 1/3 of it last night.
It's a good intro to folks interested in learning the basics of trauma. She covers the different types of trauma and the types of attachment in the material that I read. I would recommend it.
I also downloaded a sample of "Rebuilding Shattered Lives: Treating Complex PTSD and Dissociative Disorders" by James Chu and coincidentally Dr Courtoid wrote the forward in the bk. It is aimed more toward therapists and a bit pricey, I found value in the first few chapters that went into the history of trauma through recent history, more deeply into how the view of trauma has changed over the last 3-4 decades. I'm tempted to buy this one.
Thanks for the review of "It's Not You, It's What Happened to You" (love the title!) Wingnut, for $2.99 I think I will order it.
Here are two resources about attachment courtesy of Lovely (tks Lovely :thumbup:)
Wallin, D.J. , (2007). Attachment in psychotherapy. New York: Guilford.
Obegi, J.H. and Berant, E., (2009). Attachment theory and research in clinical work with adults. New York: Guilford.
Thanks everyone. Great list. Now I'm broke. ;D (just kidding)
I've heard good things about Your Life after Trauma - Michele Rosenthal.
Haven't read it though!
Quote from: Sasha2727 on October 20, 2014, 01:20:25 PM
anyone watched or read Judith Herman?
I read
Trauma and Recovery (1992) recently, paying special attention to Chapter 6: "A New Diagnosis," in which Herman proposes CPTSD as a new psychiatric diagnosis:
QuoteWhile it is clear that ordinary, healthy people may become entrapped in prolonged abusive situations, it is equally clear that after their escape they are no longer ordinary or healthy. Chronic abuse causes serious psychological harm. The tendency to blame the victim, however, has interfered with the psychological understanding and diagnosis of a post-traumatic syndrome. Instead of conceptualizing the psychopathology of the victim as a response to an abusive situation, mental health professionals have frequently attributed the abusive situation to the victim's presumed underlying psychopathology. (116)
QuoteConcepts of personality organization developed under ordinary circumstances are applied to victims, without any understanding of the corrosion of personality that occurs under conditions of prolonged terror. Thus, patients who suffer from the complex aftereffects of chronic trauma still commonly risk being misdiagnosed as having personality disorders. (117)
QuoteEven the diagnostic of "post-traumatic stress disorder," as it is presently defined, does not fit accurately enough. The existing diagnostic criteria for this disorder are derived mainly from survivors of circumscribed traumatic events. They are based on the prototypes of combat, disaster, and rape. In survivors of prolonged, repeated trauma, the symptom picture is often far more complex. Survivors of prolonged abuse develop characteristic personality changes, including deformations of relatedness and identity. Survivors of abuse in childhood develop similar problems with relationships and identity; in addition, they are particularly vulnerable to repeated harm, both self-inflicted and at the hands of others. The current formulation of post-traumatic stress disorder fails to capture either the protean symptomatic manifestations of prolonged, repeated trauma or the profound deformations of personality that occur in captivity.
The syndrome that follows upon prolonged, repeated trauma needs its own name. I propose to call it "complex post-traumatic stress disorder." The responses to trauma are best understood as a spectrum of conditions rather than as a single disorder. They range from a brief stress reaction that gets better by itself and never qualifies for a diagnosis, to classic or simple post-traumatic stress disorder, to the complex syndrome of prolonged, repeated trauma. (119)
QuoteWhile only a small minority of of survivors, usually those with the most severe abuse histories, eventually become psychiatric patients, many or even most psychiatric patients are survivors of childhood abuse. The data on this point are beyond contention. (122)
QuoteSurvivors of childhood abuse often accumulate many different diagnoses before the underlying problem of a complex post-traumatic syndrome is recognized. They are likely to receive a diagnosis that carries strong negative connotations. Three particularly troublesome diagnoses have often been applied to survivors of childhood abuse: somatization disorder, borderline personality disorder, and multiple personality disorder. All three of these diagnoses were once subsumed under the now obsolete name hysteria. Patients, usually women, who receive these diagnoses evoke unusually intense reactions in caregivers. Their credibility is often suspect. They are frequently accused of manipulation or malingering. They are often subject to furious and partisan controversy. Sometimes they are frankly hated.
These three diagnoses are charged with pejorative meaning. The most notorious is the diagnosis of borderline personality disorder. This term is frequently used within the mental health professions as little more than a sophisticated insult. (123)
QuoteThese three disorders [somatization disorder, borderline personality disorder, and multiple personality disorder] might perhaps best be understood as variants of complex post-traumatic stress disorder, each deriving its characteristic features from one form of adaptation to the traumatic environment. The physioneurosis of post-traumatic stress disorder is the most prominent feature of somatization disorder, the deformation of consciousness is most prominent in multiple personality disorder, and the disturbance in identity and relationship is most prominent in borderline personality disorder. The overarching concept of a complex post-traumatic syndrome accounts for both the particularity of the three disorders and their interconnection. The formulation also reunites the descriptive fragments of the condition that was once called hysteria and reaffirms their common source in a history of psychological trauma. (126)
Yes, tks MD, it's powerful reading isn't it?!
Thanks for replying, BeHea1thy and Kizzie :hug: :hug:
I was worried that I may have posted too many quotes, but they all seemed pretty important and potentially helpful to anyone who may not have access to the book, so I just pasted all the notes I took from that chapter.
Quote from: BeHea1thy on March 23, 2015, 01:06:34 PM
mourningdove,
It's so difficult to know that besides going through the initial trauma, we have to tell our stories over and over and over again. We are often misunderstood, unappreciated and swept to the sidelines once more as we valiantly try to put ourselves together again.
:yeahthat: For me, it's been exhausting and re-traumatizing. I don't know how many times I've sat and rattled off lists of horrible things that had happened to me only to have some twit tell me that none of it mattered and I just needed to take psych drugs forever and learn self-discipline (i.e. overcome my moral failings). What a brilliant way to treat people who have been hurt. :doh:
It's definitely powerful reading, Kizzie, and I find it amazing that it was published in 1992 and yet there is still such rampant ignorance about trauma in the "mental health" professions. It's very discouraging, though I think it is changing despite the power of the moneyed interests that would keep understanding of trauma off the map.
bheart, this book is amazing. I just got it out of the library. It will be a keeper! Thanks for sharing.
Compelling information. Perhaps this is part of the area where trauma reshapes our brains.
I just wanted to share my experience of recovery through 12 step programmes -
My experience hasn't been that I was in the wrong needed to acknowledge that and make amends -
Re my mother I tapped into all the pain and resentment and saw that I was self seeking in this - the 12 step process helped me to ' grow and develop a further part of my adult self that could see I was looking for myself 'in her ' and this just was never going to happen-
I started to have more compassion for first myself and then for her - she was / is sick
When I got to the amends process I didn't make direct amends as this was too dangerous to both of us - I did it as a spiritual exercise and let go -
I now genuinely don't feel anger towards her and a lot of the fear has gone too -
The 12 step process gives a lot of people a lot of growth and freedom -
It may not suit everyone I understand that - but giving people the option to explore it for themselves if they want to is important I feel -
What happened to me has never felt like my fault in my recovery - it has when I haven't been in recovery -
I needed to grow and grow I have freedom was all I ever wanted
I am not a child anymore some bits are but majority are not -
Growing up and seeing it through the eyes of an adult is the best
I found benefit in "The Time Cure" by Philip Zimbardo when it came to addressing the huge, crushing, all consuming picture of my trauma and the effect it was having on my ability to perceive my past, present and future. In all honesty, that book gave me hope that I could see a past, present and future again in a healthy way.
I also really benefited from all the works of Brene Brown. (The gifts of imperfection, Daring greatly, rising strong) I watched a lot of her conversations with Oprah on youtube. I had deep shame from what I went through and I didn't even realize it. It had a big impact on my relationships with others as it festered. She makes shame so human and I appreciate that.
Finally, I was profoundly impacted by "The Book of Forgiving" by Desmond Tutu and Mpho Tutu. I did not understand what forgiveness was until I read this book. I had heard people say forgiveness is a gift that you give yourself, but I could not comprehend that considering the damage inflicted on my life with no remorse. Wow. Reading it was an awakening. It was filled with wonderful meditations and journaling exercises that respected the pain and the healing and the time such a process takes. Not only did it address forgiving others, but it addressed forgiving yourself and asking for forgiveness from others. I hope others aren't turned away by the traditional thought that forgiveness is somehow exonerating the perpetrator of our pain. It is really a book about freeing yourself from the shackles of that pain and no longer defining yourself by it.
This may be old news here, but my therapist (an EMDR specialist) had me read The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma, by Bessel van der Kolk. It was spectacular. Van der Kolk was one of the original proponents of the complex PTSD designation. I highly recommend it!
Oh wow, I'm so glad this was posted. It looks good, though I don't know steps to make myself feel safe. Any ideas about that?
Alice Miller's books are extremely helpful for healing from CPTSD. I have read three of hers.
The Body Never Lies
The Drama of the Gifted Child
Thou Shalt not Be Aware
Quote from: globetrotter on August 27, 2014, 11:18:10 PM
Some kind of exercises that will aid in digging deeper with the self exploration and touch into feelings. For example, a friend has been tasked with writing a letter to her mother, which she'll never send, but that type of thing has to be healing (and hey, I think I may try that).
Writing is helpful, but sometimes it would help to have an assignment or a topic, direction, etc., or even some subject to think about with the purpose of aiding healing. Art therapy sites are good for that, but I'm looking for ways to keep focused and keep working. Reading and therapy are good, but I need another direction of push. Does that make sense? I suppose there are probably a few websites if no books, specifically.
I don't have a quote...just wanted to reply & couldn't find any reply spot. Perhaps Pete Walker's book, The Tao of Fully Feeling would help...his guide to feeling genuine sorrow for one's self & all one has gone thru has been helpful for me. Also, the book by Sebern Fisher entitled Neurofeedback in the treatment of developmental trauma is very in-depth & has been helpful for me.
Trauma and Memory - by Peter Levine, this man is truly amazing, incredible insight(s) into what it takes for healing to occur .
Great thread! I'm going to have to read through it more thoroughly, when I have more time, to gather a list of what I think will be most helpful for me.
I am currently reading Cptsd from surviving to thriving by Walker. I like most of this book; it's really helping me understand a lot of the connections between my childhood and how I am as an adult.
I don't agree with everything he says in the book, however. Some of it seems off in a way I can't describe yet.
Also, I need more specific step by step suggestions about the grieving process. So far, I get that he's telling me to get angry and to cry. That's not specific enough. I need diagrams, worksheets, recipes, etc. Also, I need more info about somatic healing. I have a copy of The Body Keeps the Score but found it intimidating in length and vocabulary. I don't want to start that one until I almost done with Walker's.
I'm also trying to read Chapters 5 and 6 of Trauma and Recovery by Herman. It is slow going because I feel myself getting very anxious reading the first person descriptions of abused adult children's stories. I will take it as slow as I need to and skip parts if I need to. I want to read these chapters because this is a foundational work in this area, and she gives a definition of cptsd. I want some of her background that leads up to her definition.
Thank you for this thread. It's a great resource. :thumbup:
-Chris
I encourage you to read From Surviving To Thriving in its entirety - Pete Walker is considered by most of us here to be the preeminent authority on healing from cptsd. However, I also found it difficult to read, and I found I had to read it slowly. This could be because I was trying to digest new and potentially threatening material. I now keep a copy of this book on my nightstand, along with The Body Keeps The Score. (Interestingly enough, I found the latter to be the easier of the two to read.) Imo these two books are indispensable.
The grief and anger about the abuse I went through was and is really hard for me to tap into. I find it's easier if I try to think of how I would feel if I saw it happening to someone else. Grieving and "angering" (as Mr Walker puts it) are highly personal, so I'm not sure if anyone can really tell you how to do it. Imo this would be like telling someone how to fall in love. They're deep, personal emotions.
There are some books out there about the somatic aspect of healing from trauma. I have one I'm trying to get up the nerve and energy to read called "In An Unspoken Voice" by Peter A. Levine, PhD.
Hope you find my comments helpful.
:heythere:
Just wanted to mention that in addition to this thread there's also a robust book section members can have a look through here - https://www.outofthestorm.website/books-1 :)
Quote from: Kizzie on November 18, 2019, 09:45:52 PM
Just wanted to mention that in addition to this thread there's also a robust book section members can have a look through here - https://www.outofthestorm.website/books-1 :)
Thanks for sharing this Kizzie! I'm going to have a good gander of it later.
My own small recommendation, it's not a trauma related book but it has helped me overall with the acceptance of my emotions.
'The Happiness Trap' by Dr Russ Harris. I struggle with accepting low feelings a lot of the time, so far this book has been helping me to acknowledge them in a healthier way. But it's not directly related to PTSD so there may be some methods in there that won't work.
Tks for the suggestion Perplex. I haven't read it but I see it's to do with Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) (https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/two-takes-depression/201102/introduction-acceptance-and-commitment-therapy) which is an approach used by some therapists to treat trauma.
I've just finished reading a wonderful book that I don't think has yet been included here on this thread or in the books section.
The book is titled 'The Boy Who Was Raised as a Dog and other Stories from a Child Psychiatrist's Notebook - What Traumatized Children Can Teach Us About Loss, Love, and Healing', Basic Books, Revised and Updated Edition 2017, written by Bruce D Perry, MD, PhD, and Maia Szalavitz.
The book deals with how trauma affects a child's mind and how traumatized children can recover. Compelling stories of children who have been affected by different types of trauma make this book an absorbing reading experience and the clearly written explanations of the links between brain development and the timing of trauma, the effect of therapeutic interventions and the importance for healing of the love, touch and support that can come from a strong relational community was revelatory for me. Highly recommended.
bluepalm
I missed this memoir when it came out but it is amazing, written by an indigenous Canadian.
Heart Berries, by Terese Marie Mailhot
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35840657-heart-berries
The way she crafts her story is really powerful and I love the way she writes. For instance this is how she describes dissociating without ever using the word anywhere in the book:
"I remember my father until my coffee runs cold"
I highly recommend it. Especially for those of us grappling with late and partial memories.
I found reference to this book in another tonight. I haven't read it.
Brown, LS. (2012). Your Turn for Care: Surviving the aging and death of the adults who harmed you.
Thanks for the book title Armee, that is definitely something I will have a look at give my current situation. It's very relevant for all of us who were abused/neglected so I will add it into our Books section.
I'm going to lock this thread and start a Part 2 as we have hit page 5.