Presentation of a major new diagnostic interview to assess chronic trauma-related disorders, in particular dissociative disorders. Written by a world-leading specialist in trauma-related dissociation, this book comprehensively describes the diagnosis of trauma-related disorders, taking up the many dilemmas around criteria in DSM-5 and ICD-11, symptom recognition, the role of traumatic experiences and of self-report questionnaires, as well as other topics. The book elaborates on the assessment of these disorders, using the diagnostic instrument Trauma and Dissociative Symptoms Interview (TADS-I), developed by the author over decades of work in the field. Several thematic chapters discuss key differential diagnostic considerations and illustrate them with case reports. Also discussed are the occurrence of false-negative and false-positive diagnoses of trauma-related dissociative disorders, the assessment of traumatic experiences, and the development of a treatment plan. This book is essential reading for clinicians who diagnose dissociative disorders (or want to learn), and useful for those who want to assist in better recognizing clients with dissociative symptoms and refer them for specialized testing. The complete TADS-I is included as an appendix.

Winner of the 2017 International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation (ISSTD) Pierre Janet Writing Award. Establishing safety and working with dissociative parts in complex trauma therapy. Therapists around the world ask similar questions and struggle with similar challenges treating highly dissociative patients. This book arose not only out of countless hours of treating patients with dissociative disorders, but also out of the crucible of supervision and consultation, where therapists bring their most urgent questions, needs, and vulnerabilities. The book offers an overview of the neuropsychology of dissociation as a disorder of non-realization, as well as chapters on assessment, prognosis, case formulation, treatment planning, and treatment phases and goals, based on best practices. The authors describe what to focus on first in a complex therapy, and how to do it; how to help patients establish both internal and external safety without rescuing; how to work systematically with dissociative parts of a patient in ways that facilitate integration rather than further dissociation; how to set and maintain helpful boundaries; specific ways to stay focused on process instead of content; how to deal compassionately and effectively with disorganized attachment and dependency on the therapist; how to help patients integrate traumatic memories; what to do when the patient is enraged, chronically ashamed, avoidant, or unable to trust the therapist; and how to compassionately understand and work with resistances as a co-creation of both patient and therapist. Relational ways of being with the patient are the backbone of treatment, and are themselves essential therapeutic interventions. As such, the book also focused not only on highly practical and theoretically sound interventions, not only on what to do and say, but places strong emphasis on how to be with patients, describing innovative, compassionately collaborative approaches based on the latest research on attachment and evolutionary psychology. Throughout the book, core concepts—fundamental ideas that are highlighted in the text in bold so they can be seen at a glance—are emphasized. These serve as guiding principles in treatment as well as a summing-up of many of the most important notions in each chapter. Each chapter concludes with a section for further examination. These sections include additional ideas and questions, exercises for practicing skills, and suggestions for peer discussions based on topics in a particular chapter, meant to inspire further curiosity, discovery, and growth.

Enactive trauma therapy is grounded in so-called enactivism, which holds that, like anyone else, traumatized individuals are (1) embrained, embodied, and environmentally embedded; (2) constitute biopsychological organism-environment systems that are essentially interested in preserving their existence; (3) are primarily affective and oriented toward making sense of things. Individuals exhibit a phenomenal self, world, and self-of-the-world through self- and world-oriented actions. They do not act on the basis of knowledge, but possess knowledge on the basis of world-engaged sensorimotor, affect-laden, and goal-oriented actions. Whenever interpersonal traumatization by significant others occurs, individuals may get caught up in affective and relational conflicts they cannot resolve on their own. Their generation and maintenance of a trauma-related dissociation of the personality involves a kind of sense-making that supports their continued existence when their capacity to integrate traumatic experiences is still too low. However, what starts as a courageous effort to navigate a traumatizing life may at some point in time become a serious problem. Enactive trauma therapy comprises the collaboration of two organism-environment systems: the patient and the therapist. Together they spawn new meaning and adequate actions – an interaction that resembles dancing: It takes pacing, mutual attunement, good timing, a sensitivity to balance, movement and rhythm, courage, as well as the ability and willingness to follow and lead.

Written and edited by some of the world's foremost experts in the field, Trauma, Memory, and Dissociation provides comprehensive coverage of dissociation and memory alterations in trauma, an area that is being dramatically reshaped by vigorous new research. This one-of-a-kind book, written for researchers and clinicians alike, covers aspects of this subject that have not been thoroughly examined before. It presents empirical data on dissociative symptoms associated with exposure to psychological trauma, including combat, childhood abuse, and other traumas, as well as the important relationships dissociative disorder has with other conditions associated with extreme stress such as posttraumatic stress disorder. This book also examines areas where questions still linger concerning the psychopathology of trauma-related dissociation, including dissociation as a defense mechanism or a normal personality trait. Because dissociation plays an important role in the recall of traumatic memories, Trauma, Memory, and Dissociation investigates the controversial areas of delayed recall of childhood abuse and "false memory syndrome." This text also offers clinicians a detailed, step-by-step discussion of approaches to treat the dissociative patient. It reviews the neurobiology of dissociative disorders and illuminates areas where future research may lead to more effective treatments.

This training manual for pateints who have suffered severe trauma includes a short educational piece, homework sheets, and exercises that promote essential emotional and life skills.

This second edition of the award-winning original text brings together in one volume the current thinking and conceptualizations on dissociation and the dissociative disorders. Comprised of ten parts, starting with historical and conceptual issues, and ending with considerations for the present and future, internationally renowned authors in the trauma and dissociation fields explore different facets of dissociation in pathological and non-clinical guises. This book is designed to be the most comprehensive reference book in the dissociation field and aims to provide a scholarly foundation for understanding dissociation, dissociative disorders, current issues and perspectives within the field, theoretical formulations, and empirical findings. Chapters have been thoroughly updated to include recent developments in the field, including: the complex nature of conceptualization, etiology, and neurobiology; the various manifestations of dissociation in clinical and non-clinical forms; and different perspectives on how dissociation should be understood. This book is essential for clinicians, researchers, theoreticians, students of clinical psychology psychiatry, and psychotherapy, and those with an interest or curiosity in dissociation in the various ways it can be conceived and studied.

The Editors have a good reputation in this field. The book also has a good line-up of contributors. Provides a new approach to understanding the experience of psychosis that will have implications for clinicians, patients and researchers.