Traumatic stress arises in reaction to catastrophic life events. Such events can range from train disasters and car crashes to natural calamities such as earthquakes, wildfires and floods, and from life-threatening medical diagnoses to acts of violence and abuse. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a common psychological condition resulting from such events and occurs when our coping resources have been completely overwhelmed. The intrusive hyper-reactions, recurring memories, flashbacks, avoidance behaviours and changes in the sense of self linger long past the actual event and often prevent a sense of healing or resolution with the experience. This self-help guide uses Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) strategies with a trauma focus to help you to manage your reactions to the traumatic experience and find new, effective ways of coping. You will learn: - To understand your reactions to traumatic events - Practical strategies for monitoring, managing and overcoming post-traumatic stress - Innovative therapeutic options and new mobile device supports

HIGHLY COMMENDED for the British Medical Awards book prize for Popular Medicine Practical help for managing the after-effects of trauma Traumatic life experiences can lead to persistent change. Those affected may become numb and shut off from those around them and grief, guilt or shame may constantly weigh them down. Memories of horrifying scenes may intrude unexpectedly during waking hours. Sleep may be disturbed by vivid, unpleasant dreams. Sudden mood swings, emotional overwhelm, impaired concentration, dissociation or feelings of constant alert make living difficult. Traumatic stress responses, including Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (or PTSD), are caused by our mind and body's attempts to cope with experiences of extreme danger. They can affect and overwhelm anyone and are not a sign of personal weakness. Written by an expert trauma therapist, this accessible self-help manual takes those affected by specific traumatic events on a journey of recovery and healing, based on the latest psychological research and advances in trauma therapy. This fully revised and updated edition includes: Clear explanations of the symptoms of trauma and how to recognize them Guidance on seeking specialist psychological help A step-by-step recovery programme, based on a positive growth approach Practical advice, tested exercises and useful summary check points Effective, integrative trauma healing techniques for body, mind and soul Overcoming self-help guides use clinically proven techniques to treat long-standing and disabling conditions, both psychological and physical. Many guides in the Overcoming series are recommended under the Reading Well Books on Prescription scheme. Series Editor: Professor Peter Cooper

Traumatic stress arises in reaction to catastrophic life events. Such events can range from train disasters and car crashes to natural calamities such as earthquakes, wildfires and floods, and from life-threatening medical diagnoses to acts of violence and abuse. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a common psychological condition resulting from such events and occurs when our coping resources have been completely overwhelmed. The intrusive hyper-reactions, recurring memories, flashbacks, avoidance behaviours and changes in the sense of self linger long past the actual event and often prevent a sense of healing or resolution with the experience. This self-help guide uses Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) strategies with a trauma focus to help you to manage your reactions to the traumatic experience and find new, effective ways of coping.

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an extremely debilitating anxiety condition that can occur after exposure to a terrifying event or ordeal. Although many know that this mental health issue affects veterans of war, many may not know that it also affects victims of domestic violence, sexual violence, natural disasters, crime, car accidents and accidents in the workplace. No matter the cause of their illness, people with PTSD will often relive their traumatic experience in the form of flashbacks, memories, nightmares, and frightening thoughts. This is especially true when they are exposed to events or objects that remind them of their trauma. Left untreated, PTSD can lead to emotional numbness, insomnia, addiction, anxiety, depression, and even suicide. In The PTSD Workbook, Second Edition, psychologists and trauma experts Mary Beth Williams and Soili Poijula outline techniques and interventions used by PTSD experts from around the world to offer trauma survivors the most effective tools available to conquer their most distressing trauma-related symptoms, whether they are a veteran, a rape survivor, or a crime victim. Based in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), the book is extremely accessible and easy-to-use, offering evidence-based therapy at a low cost. This new edition features chapters focusing on veterans with PTSD, the link between cortisol and adrenaline and its role in PTSD and overall mental health, and the mind-body component of PTSD. This book is designed to arm PTSD survivors with the emotional resilience they need to get their lives back together after a traumatic event.

This book is a user friendly discussion of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) as it affects individuals and families. PTSD has become better known and more frequently diagnosed, and affects more than just military families. Causes, diagnosis and treatments, including counseling, medication, and alternative therapy, are discussed. The challenges faced by PTSD individuals and their families are addressed and recommendations are included. New to this edition is information regarding Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans and the new policies and treatments in use as well as information about women war veterans, who are a newer demographic for combat PTSD.

How millions of PTSD suffers learned to live without fear, pain, depression, and self-doubt The Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Sourcebook, Third Edition introduces survivors, loved ones, and helpers to the remarkable range of treatment alternatives and self-management techniques available today to break through the pain and realize recovery and growth. This updated edition incorporates all-new diagnostics from the DSM-5 and covers the latest treatment techniques and research findings surrounding the optimization of brain health and function, sleep disturbance, new USDA dietary guidelines and the importance of antioxidants, early childhood trauma, treating PTSD and alcoholism, the relationship between PTSD and brain injury, suicide and PTSD, somatic complaints associated with PTSD, and more.

Discusses such situations as physical abuse, natural disasters, wars, and violence, that can cause stressful responses and describes ways of dealing with these delayed reactions to trauma.

This leading practitioner's guide, now thoroughly updated, examines the nature of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and provides a complete framework for planning and implementing cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). Steven Taylor addresses the complexities of treating people who have experienced different types of trauma and shows how to adapt empirically supported protocols to each client's needs. Rich case examples illustrate the nuts and bolts of cognitive interventions, exposure exercises, and adjunctive methods. Purchasers get access to a Web page where they can download and print the book's 14 reproducible handouts in a convenient 8 1/2" x 11" size. New to This Edition: *Chapter on pharmacotherapy--what CBT practitioners need to know when treating clients who are also taking medication. *Incorporates over a decade of advances in assessment and treatment techniques, outcome research, and neurobiological knowledge. *Updated for DSM-5.

This title takes a comprehensive approach, exploring the physical, social, psychological, and spiritual dimensions of death, dying, and bereavement.Through personal stories from real people, Death, Dying, and Bereavement provides readers with a context for understanding their changing encounters with such difficult concepts.

The need for evidence-based practice in mental health services is becoming clearer by the day and, until recently, the trend of emphasizing services with supporting empirical evidence has been almost exclusively limited to a focus on treatment options. A Guide to Assessments That Work fills a void in the professional literature by addressing the critical role that assessment plays in providing evidence-based mental health services. To optimize its usefulness to readers, this volume addresses the assessment of the most commonly encountered disorders or conditions among children, adolescents, adults, older adults, and couples. Strategies and instruments for assessing mood disorders, anxiety disorders, couple distress and sexual problems, health-related problems, and many other conditions are also covered in depth. With a focus throughout on assessment instruments that are feasible, psychometrically sound, and useful for typical clinical requirements, a rating system has been designed to provide evaluations of a measure's norms, reliability, validity, and clinical utility. Standardized tables summarize this information in each chapter, providing essential information on the most scientifically sound tools available for a range of assessment needs. Using the tools provided in A Guide to Assessments That Work, readers can at a glance determine the possible suitability and value of each instrument for their own clinical purposes. This much needed resource equips readers with the knowledge necessary for conducting the best evidence-based mental health assessments currently possible.