Developed under the auspices of the PTSD Treatment Guidelines Task Force of the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies, this tightly edited work is the definitive best-practice reference for practitioners caring for any trauma population. Leading clinical scientists thoroughly review the literature on widely used therapeutic approaches for both adults and children. Succinct treatment guidelines are presented that feature standardized ratings of the evidence for each approach. The book also offers insightful guidance to help clinicians select the most suitable therapy for particular patients and overcome frequently encountered obstacles.

"Clinical practice guidelines, which synthesize research evidence to generate specific treatment recommendations for a particular disorder, have been of crucial importance over the last decade in promoting a shift toward evidence-based care. PTSD clinical practice guidelines, on which this book is based, are designed primarily to help clinicians achieve improved mental health outcomes for people affected by trauma and to assist those people and their families, as well as policymakers and service delivery organizations, to develop a more sophisticated understanding of the range of available treatments and the evidence for their efficacy. This book bridges the gap between evidence-based guidelines and routine practice in the real world. The treatment chapters are preceded by contextual chapters that outline recent developments in our understanding of the nature, epidemiology, and assessment of mental health responses to trauma exposure in adults, adolescents, and children, as well as the latest evidence on prevention. The book goes on to foreshadow future developments, tailoring treatment to the unique needs of the individual clinical presentation, dissemination challenges, and economic implications"--

Now revised and expanded, this state-of-the-science guide is edited and written by leading authorities. The volume covers the full range of effective treatments for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and helps clinicians gain competency for working with service members and veterans.

This book has been replaced by Effective Treatments for PTSD, Third Edition, edited by David Forbes, Jonathan I. Bisson, Candice M. Monson, and Lucy Berliner, ISBN 978-1-4625-4356-4.

Developed under the auspices of the PTSD Treatment Guidelines Task Force of the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies, this comprehensive volume offers best practice guidelines for the treatment of PTSD. The book represents the collaborative work of experts across a range of theoretical orientations and professional backgrounds. After addressing general treatment considerations and methodological issues, chapters review and evaluate the salient literature on treatment approaches for children, adolescents, and adults. Approaches covered include acute interventions, cognitive-behavioral therapy, pharmacotherapy, EMDR, group therapy, psychodynamic therapy, inpatient treatment, psychosocial rehabilitation, hypnotherapy, marital and family treatment, and creative therapies. Standardized ratings are provided of each modality's efficacy for reducing core symptoms, and therapeutic goals, methods, and treatment planning recommendations are summarized. Synthesizing a vast body of knowledge into a cohesive, practical framework, this volume will be the definitive resource for all clinicians and researchers working in the area of PTSD.

This accessible, evidence-based book provides readers with a practical framework to understand, formulate, and treat PTSD using the cognitive model while creatively adapting for complexity. Cognitive therapy for PTSD is a highly effective treatment, but aspects of clinical complexity can complicate treatment and limit its effectiveness. Trauma memories themselves can be complex, the associated meanings can resist change and people may struggle to engage with them without feeling overwhelmed. Problems that commonly arise alongside PTSD add to clinical complexity, such as comorbid psychological or physical disorders, social problems, and ongoing risks. Bringing together the science and art of therapy, this book demonstrates how to approach these issues by holding firm to the principles of CBT, whilst flexing and creatively adapting techniques for each unique circumstance. Rich case studies, top tips, and frequently asked questions are used throughout to demonstrate the approach. Written by clinicians for clinicians, the book synthesizes the latest research into a practical treatment manual to help readers overcome obstacles in PTSD treatment and ‘supercharge’ their therapy skills.

In his landmark book, The Time Paradox, internationally known psychologist Philip Zimbardo showed that we can transform the way we think about our past, present, and future to attain greater success in work and in life. Now, in The Time Cure, Zimbardo has teamed with clinicians Richard and Rosemary Sword to reveal a groundbreaking approach that helps those living with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) to shift their time perspectives and move beyond the traumatic past toward a more positive future. Time Perspective Therapy switches the focus from past to present, from negative to positive, clearing the pathway for the best yet to come: the future. It helps PTSD sufferers pull their feet out of the quicksand of past traumas and step firmly on the solid ground of the present, allowing them to take a step forward into a brighter future. Rather than viewing PTSD as a mental illness the authors see it as a mental injury—a normal reaction to traumatic events—and offer those suffering from PTSD the healing balm of hope. The Time Cure lays out the step-by-step process of Time Perspective Therapy, which has proven effective for a wide range of individuals, from veterans to survivors of abuse, accidents, assault, and neglect. Rooted in psychological research, the book also includes a wealth of vivid and inspiring stories from real-life PTSD sufferers—effective for individuals seeking self-help, their loved ones, therapists and counselors, or anyone who wants to move forward to a brighter future.

PTSD is in no way an easy diagnosis for the patient, the provider, or the therapist. It is a diagnosis developed at the border of our capacity to handle extreme stress, a marker diagnosis denoting the limits of our capacity for functioning in the stress of this modern world. For both individuals and society, PTSD marks the limits of our available compassion and our capacity to protect ourselves from the dangers of the environment and other humans. PTSD is often a chronic disease, forming at a place where mind sometimes no longer equals the brain, a point at which individual patient requirements often trump theory and belief. There are treatments for PTSD that work, and many that do not. This book presents evidence, rather than theory, anecdote, or case report. Psychological approaches including prolonged exposure, imagery rehearsal therapy and EMDR have a greater than 75% positive short-term response when used to treat PTSD. Yet these treatments vary markedly and have different, even contradictory underlying theory and objectives for treatment. Medications, rarely indicated as primary therapy, can be used to treat symptoms and address comorbid PTSD diagnoses. Treatment of sleep apnea in the PTSD population produces a positive effect on symptoms and a reduction in morbidity and mortality across the span of life. Complementary treatments offer the many individuals chronically affected by PTSD assistance in coping with symptoms and opportunities to attempt to functionally integrate their experience of trauma.

Discover the latest treatment strategies from the leading experts in the field of trauma! This unique book, by the authors of the classic Handbook of Post-Traumatic Therapy, provides the “how to” of clinical practice techniques in a variety of settings with a variety of clients. Simple and Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: Strategies for Comprehensive Treatment in Clinical Practice delivers state-of-the-art techniques and information to help traumatized individuals, groups, families, and communities. From critical incident debriefing to treating combat veterans with longstanding trauma, it covers the full spectrum of PTSD clients and effective treatments. This valuable book assembles some of the most highly respected experts in trauma studies to discuss the practical applications of their research and their experience treating clients with PTSD. Simple and Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder addresses concerns about the efficacy of critical incident stress debriefing, examines the value of a variety of innovative treatment methods, and explores the differences between treating complex PTSD and the aftermath of a one-time traumatic event. Simple and Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder discusses the issues, stages, and modalities of PTSD treatment, including: assessment and diagnosis psychopharmacological treatment cognitive behavioral treatment short-term treatment group treatments treatment strategies for traumatized children, families, hostages, police, and veterans media issues Simple and Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder is an indispensable resource for clinicians, researchers, law enforcement officials, and scholars in the field of trauma.