An estimated eight percent of Americans are thought to be suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder at any given time. Many are victims of or witnesses to violence. Others have been neglected of abused. Some have experienced a traumatic accident or natural disaster. Still others have experienced the sudden and perhaps violent death of someone they love. No matter the cause, PTSD results in symptoms of acute stress, including anxiety, persistent thoughts or flashbacks, and a host of other physical, emotional, cognitive, social, and spiritual challenges. In this guide for counselors and caregivers, Dr. Alan Wolfelt reframes PTSD as a form of grief. Helping PTSD sufferers mourn their unacknowledged and “carried” grief over the traumatic events that caused their symptoms is the key to helping them heal. Rather than seeking to quickly treat away symptoms of PTSD, caregivers who follow Dr. Wolfelt's “companioning” philosophy will instead see the natural and necessary PTSD symptoms as indications that the sufferer needs additional support and encouragement to express himself. This holistic new approach acknowledges clinical PTSD treatments as part of the solution while emphasizing that authentic mourning is the primary and most essential healer.

First published in 1999. Those grieving the loss of a loved one who has died under traumatic circumstances form a special group of mourners. Separate from those going through "simple bereavement", these mourners must cope with a double-edged sword: the grief of the loss and the trauma of the knowledge of how the loved one may have had to endure traumatic stress during their final minutes of life. This ground-breaking new addition to the Series in Trauma and Loss will enable mental health professionals to distinguish between those who are going through the 'normal' grieving process in the aftermath of a traumatic event, and those who are suffering from post traumatic stress disorder. A by-product of years of research and experience, this book helps buttress the theoretical bridge between thanatology and traumatology. This text focuses on the unique features of death-related PTSD, its assessment, and treatment. With case examples that draw upon consistent concepts and definitions, and equal attention to scholarly and practical concerns, the book argues that traumatic elements must be worked through first before grief and loss accommodations are achieved. More importantly, the new research and treatment methods presented by the leading experts in the field provide professionals and laymen alike with a valuable guide for understanding and helping those who grieve a loss under traumatic circumstances. Divided into two parts, Part 1: Conceptual and Empirical Foundations attempts to lay the empirical and theoretical foundation for the treatment chapters that follow. Part 2: Applications provides direction for helping clients grieve their traumatic losses

The loss of a family member, significant other, or friend exposes the afflicted person to a higher risk for several types of psychiatric disorders. In addition to the potential complications that include major depression, anxiety, and PTSD, there is much current (and renewed) interest in pathologic forms of grief. Jacobs, in this innovative new text, introduces the term traumatic grief as description of this diagnostic entity. Here, working criteria, associated descriptive features, and the clinical course of traumatic grief are detailed as the author further verifies the concept of traumatic grief as a disorder. As this is the first discussion of the clinical use of the diagnostic criteria for traumatic grief, this text serves as a foundation for psychiatric diagnosis and treatment of traumatic grief. The format follows the outline for disorders used in the DSM making this a useful tool for the practicing clinician.

In Grief on the Road to Emmaus, experienced bereavement author and facilitatorBeth Hewettoffers help for people interested in walking with those who grieve and supporting their mourning. Using the story of the bereaved disciples walking with Jesus to Emmaus and personal grief vignettes, this message is grounded in Benedictine monastic values that emphasize love, mutuality, hospitality, listening, prayer, humility, action, and community. This readable guide introduces a ministry of consolation, complete with facilitator skills, practices, and strategies for healing to assist readers to accompany the bereaved compassionately, leading each other to hope after loss.

“Now more than ever, this text is needed. The authors do a wonderful job of tackling the topics most critical in counseling trauma survivors. The resilience-based perspective and the focus on prevention is refreshing and reinforces the idea that people are survivors who are able to thrive even in the darkest and most difficult of times. This book is essential reading for all counselors.” —Victoria E. Kress, PhD, Youngstown State University “This book provides an exceptional review of the contemporary sociopolitical issues, historical perspectives, and clinical skills critical to effective crisis and trauma healing. Incorporating issues of power, privilege, culture, ecological context, and relational dynamics affords a unique perspective and makes this resource a must for anyone working in the area of trauma and crisis.” —Frederic P. Bemak, EdD, Professor Emeritus, George Mason University, Founder and Director, Counselors Without Borders This introductory text integrates evidence-based models and best practices with relational-cultural theory, which is responsive to the many forms of traumatic stress and tragedies that clients experience. It is a unique contribution that emphasizes the power of the connections counselors form with clients and communities in crisis and the means by which counselors can intervene, inspire growth, and promote healing during times of tragedy and loss. Readers will gain vital skills as they learn real-life approaches to crisis work with diverse populations in a variety of settings, including individuals, families, communities, students, military personnel, violence survivors, and clients who are suicidal. The authors provide strength-based, trauma-informed applications of cognitive behavioral therapy, behavioral therapy, neurofeedback, mindfulness, and creative practices. In addition, each chapter contains compelling case examples, multiple-choice and essay questions, and key topic discussion prompts to guide student learning and promote classroom discussion. *Requests for digital versions from ACA can be found on www.wiley.com. *To purchase print copies, please visit the ACA website *Reproduction requests for material from books published by ACA should be directed to permissions@counseling.org Thelma Duffey, PhD, is professor and chair in the Department of Counsel­ing at the University of Texas at San Antonio. Shane Haberstroh, EdD, is associate professor of counseling in the Department of Educational Psychology at Northern Arizona University.

A new approach to understanding PTSD as a form of grief rather than a medical disorder Have you ever felt that something essential was missing from your post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) treatment options? If you suffer from PTSD, you know the problem is complex, but what you probably don't know—and what the medical establishment isn't telling you—is that post-traumatic stress is not fundamentally a medical disorder but rather a form of grief. Your body, mind, and soul experienced tremendous loss, and to fully integrate the many losses into your ongoing life, you must explore and express your necessary grief. In other words, you must mourn. This groundbreaking book reveals a new approach to understanding PTSD and its debilitating symptoms. With compassion and insight, it affirms the nature and severity of your experience while providing you with a step-by-step plan to transcend it. A full review of traditional medical treatments for PTSD are presented and included as part of the healing plan. Whether your PTSD is severe or more subtle, whether your traumatic experience was recent or in the distant past, this book unlocks the secret that will finally allow you to once again live and love fully.

This book is a compassionate companion to those who love someone who has experienced severe trauma that left his or her brain changed by PTSD. As someone who suffered from PTSD herself, Becky Johnson knows what is most helpful on the path to recovery. Becky teams up with Stephen Arterburn to offer: Insight into what is happening in the brain Background on treatments such as EMDR Ideas on what to say and what not to say Suggestions for calming a loved one during a PTSD episode A personal coach and a compassionate companion, this book helps readers become a healing presence in their loved one’s life while practicing self-care as well.

After a significant loss, grief is normal and necessary. But sometimes a mourner's grief becomes naturally heightened, stuck, or made more complex by especially difficult circumstances, such as suicide, homicide, or multiple losses within a short time period. This is called “complicated grief.” In this primer by one of the world's most respected grief educators, Dr. Wolfelt helps caregivers understand the various factors that often contribute to complicated grief. He presents a model for identifying complicated grief symptoms and, through real-life examples, offers guidance for companioning mourners through their challenging grief journeys. This book rounds out Dr. Wolfelt's resources on the companioning philosophy of grief care, making it an essential addition to your professional library.

An essential grief guide and recovery workbook for those who have said, "I thought I'd feel better by now." Grief does not follow a timeline or a set path. It is nonlinear and messy, doubling back on itself just when you thought you were out of the woods. Those who have experienced the loss of a loved one know this unequivocally, but Western society still seems to think that grief should only last six months to a year—tops—when in fact, grief can last throughout a person's entire life and manifest as serious mental health issues, including depression, anxiety, anger, and despair. The Long Grief Journey, co-written by a psychotherapist and a clinical psychologist who have both worked with grieving individuals for decades, is for the people who are past the acute pain and effects of a sudden loss and are now learning to live beyond that. It is for those who by all appearances seem to have "moved on." They're working, carrying out their responsibilities, showing up for important life events, yet they quietly bear the weight of their sadness and longing for their loved one. There's a name for this type of long-term, unresolved grief. In fact, there are several: complicated grief, traumatic grief, complex bereavement, prolonged grief, extended grief, abnormal grief, exaggerated grief, and pervasive grief disorder. If you feel "stuck" after experiencing the death of a loved one, even if much time has passed, this book is for you. With exercises, journal prompts, and rituals that will further help readers along their grief path, The Long Grief Journey, co-written by one of the authors of the classic grief book, I Wasn't Ready to Say Goodbye, is designed to educate, support, and coach you to rekindle a desire to live life fully, all while still cherishing and embracing the memories of your loved one. Named one of Choosing Therapy's "14 Best Books on Losing a Parent for 2022."

The Handbook of Trauma, Traumatic Loss, and Adversity in Children is a developmentally oriented book rich with findings related to child development, the impact of trauma on development and functioning, and interventions directed at treating reactions to trauma. Aspects of attachment and parenting and the use of interrelationships toward therapeutic ends are included in each age-related section of the book, ranging from 0 to 18+. Consolidating research from a range of disciplines including neurobiology, psychopathology, and trauma studies, chapters offer guidance on the potentially cascading effects of trauma, and outline strategies for assisting parents and teachers as well as children. Readers will also find appendices with further resources for download on the book’s website. Grounded in interdisciplinary research, the Handbook of Trauma, Traumatic Loss, and Adversity in Children is an important resource for mental health researchers and professionals working with children, adolescents, and families during the ongoing process of healing from traumatic exposure.