Treatment of Complex Trauma: A Sequenced, Relationship-Based Approach PDF
Preview Treatment of Complex Trauma: A Sequenced, Relationship-Based Approach
ebook THE GUILFORD PRESS TreaTmenT of Complex Trauma also from ChrisTine a. CourTois and Julian d. ford For more information, visit the authors’ websites: www.drchriscourtois.com and www.advancedtrauma.com Treating Complex Stress Disorders: An Evidence-Based Guide Edited by Christine A. Courtois and Julian D. Ford Treating Complex Traumatic Stress Disorders in Children and Adolescents: Scientific Foundations and Therapeutic Models Edited by Julian D. Ford and Christine A. Courtois TreaTmenT of Complex Trauma A Sequenced, Relationship-Based Approach Christine A. Courtois Julian D. Ford Foreword by John Briere The Guilford Press new York london © 2013 The Guilford Press A Division of Guilford Publications, Inc. 72 Spring Street, New York, NY 10012 www.guilford.com All rights reserved No part of this book may be reproduced, translated, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, microfilming, recording, or otherwise, without written permission from the publisher. Printed in the United States of America This book is printed on acid-free paper. Last digit is print number: 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 The authors have checked with sources believed to be reliable in their efforts to provide information that is complete and generally in accord with the standards of practice that are accepted at the time of publication. However, in view of the possibility of human error or changes in behavioral, mental health, or medical sciences, neither the authors, nor the editors and publisher, nor any other party who has been involved in the preparation or publication of this work warrants that the information contained herein is in every respect accurate or complete, and they are not responsible for any errors or omissions or the results obtained from the use of such information. Readers are encouraged to confirm the information contained in this book with other sources. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available from the publisher. ISBN 978-1-4625-0658-3 To Mom and to Tom, my most stalwart supporters —CAC For Judy, my cotherapist, coparent, and life partner —JDF about the authors Christine A. Courtois, PhD, ABPP, is a counseling psychologist in private practice in Washington, DC. She is immediate past president of Division 56 (Psychological Trauma) of the American Psychological Association (APA) and past Clinical and Training Director and cofounder of The CENTER: Posttraumatic Disorders Program, also in Washington. Dr. Courtois is a recipient of the Outstanding Contributions to Professional Practice Award from APA Division 56, the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Interna- tional Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation (ISSTD), and the Sarah Haley Award for Clinical Excellence from the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies (ISTSS), among other honors. She has pub- lished numerous books, book chapters, and articles on trauma-related top- ics. Julian D. Ford, PhD, a clinical psychologist, is Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine, where he is also Director of the Child Trauma Clinic and of the Center for Trauma Response, Recovery, and Preparedness. He is Associate Editor of the Journal of Trauma and Dissociation and serves on the board of directors of the ISTSS. With Dr. Courtois, Dr. Ford is a recipient of the Print Media Award from the 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 ado- lescents, adults, and families. vii foreword o ver the last several decades we have witnessed a huge amount of progress in our understanding of psychological trauma, its many forms, its immediate and lasting effects, and how it can be treated. This book is an excellent representation of this progress and, I will suggest, a further step forward. It wasn’t that long ago that those alleging interpersonal trauma were likely to be disbelieved, or at least viewed with suspicion. Similarly, expres- sions of posttraumatic distress were frequently seen as fabrications, or the effects of other, far more ominous things that were the “real” source of the victim’s complaints, including pre-Oedipal psychopathology, hysteria, personality disorder, psychosis, or an easily overwhelmed psychology or neurobiology (Briere & Scott, 2006; Herman, 1992). As a result, therapies were offered that attempted to (1) uncover and resolve unconscious con- flicts and hysterical symptoms that were believed to masquerade as post- traumatic distress; (2) strengthen the psychological mettle of individuals whose assumed inherent weakness caused them to overreact to events; or (3) teach the client how to suppress, deny, or otherwise avoid symptoms in order to adjust to life’s challenges. Slowly, however, historical events changed these societal and profes- sional perspectives. One of the most significant of these was the Vietnam War, which confronted the world with the horror of combat and its obvi- ous effects on survivors. These impacts were manifestly real, as repeatedly seen on television sets worldwide, and as witnessed personally in the return of affected relatives, spouses, and friends. Importantly for the time, those impacted could not be dismissed as “merely” women complaining of ques- tionable sexual events, or a small number of individuals inventing psycho- logical symptoms for secondary gain. They were red-blooded soldiers and sailors, and there were a lot of them: Almost 20% of American Vietnam vet- erans returned home with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD; American viii
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