Description
Grounded in 40 years of clinical practice and research, this book provides a systematic yet flexible evidence-informed framework for treating adult survivors of complex trauma, particularly those exposed to chronic emotional abuse or neglect. Component-based psychotherapy (CBP) addresses four primary treatment components that can be tailored to each client’s unique needs–relationship, regulation, dissociative parts, and narrative. Vivid extended case examples illustrate CBP intervention strategies and bring to life both the client’s and therapist’s internal experiences. The appendix features a reproducible multipage clinician self-assessment tool that can be downloaded and printed in a convenient 8 1/2″ x 11″ size.
See also Treating Traumatic Stress in Children and Adolescents, Second Edition, by Margaret E. Blaustein and Kristine M. Kinniburgh, which presents a complementary approach for children and adolescents.
Melissa (verified owner) –
I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in treating adults with histories of childhood trauma. This book was extremely readable and has changed the way I think about working with adult clients. The authors use case studies throughout to illustrate the model, which I found helpful for advancing my own thoughts about my work with clients.
capressley (verified owner) –
As a psychologist and educator, I wholeheartedly recommend this book for clinicians working with adults with complex relational histories. The authors articulate core domains of trauma treatment essential to adult psychotherapy, using two consistent case examples throughout the text to illustrate the complexities of both client and therapist therapeutic process. The chapters on relational dynamics and regulation capacity are an essential resource for trauma-informed clinicians, and the journey into exploration of dissociated parts of self offers a uniquely deep and useful perspective that has been formative to my work as a psychologist. The authors promote an overall approach to therapy that transcends symptom relief and envisions treatment fostering clients’ growing capacity to engage in meaningful relationships and pursue life goals. This is a must-have for new and seasoned clinicians alike! -Jana P
Customer (verified owner) –
What I love about this book is that the authors provide case material to support the reader in applying theory and concept to real world practice.
Patrick Swift (verified owner) –
I recently had the opportunity to attend an overview training on the treatment approach featured in this book, and was impressed by the model’s emphases on working with clients toward an cohesive life narrative, and on the importance of therapists’ ongoing examination of how their unspoken assumptions about themselves as people and the subtle identities they assume as trauma therapists influence the work. These (and other) concepts resonated with my own clinical practice with complex trauma clients so I purchased the book the same day and it did not disappoint! Aside from a choppy chapter or two it’s consistently thought-provoking and otherwise very well-written. It’s so poignant and poetic I’ve even caught myself quoting lines from it with my clients. It contains many relatable case examples, and descriptions of exercises and techniques, some of which I have already tried out with good result. I appreciate the tables on each component of the model, how they interact, and when to emphasize particular components based on a client’s stage of treatment or presenting issue in the moment. Lastly, the book includes a questionnaire that is very handy in treatment planning. I recommend this book highly. Note: I would have given it 4.5 stars if that were an option because of a couple chapters that are a bit disjointed and read more like a casual conversation in supervision, but overall it’s closer to 5 stars than 4 so hence my rating.
Patricia Rosenmann (verified owner) –
Excellent book
Debra Ruisard (verified owner) –
This book is a must-have guide for any therapist who works with clients with complex trauma and particularly with clients whose trauma was more of an assault on the emotional self through emotional abuse and neglect, and not as much characterized by physical and sexual abuse. Perhaps more detrimental to the client’s overall functioning and wellbeing, the aftereffects of severe emotional abuse and neglect, if not attended to, can insidiously impact the therapeutic relationship – the cornerstone of effective trauma therapy. This book brings this issue to the forefront of the relational work with clients and frames the treatment with Component-Based Psychotherapy.
Building on the work of pioneers in the psychotherapy field such as Sigmund Freud, Pierre Janet, Judith Herman and Bessel van der Kolk, the authors have expertly developed this model of treatment around four components- relationship, regulation, parts and narrative. CBP specifically highlights the importance of the relational work between client and therapist that threads itself through all four components and can hinder or help the therapeutic progress. Working with complex trauma is never a linear process and rarely conforms to prescribed treatment protocols. What I found most useful is how, through the use of two compelling case studies, the authors illustrate the complexity of the work, demonstrate how the four components operate in the client, in the therapist and within the relational dynamics between the two. There are so many parallels to what I experience in the counseling room with my clients that I know this book will be my guide moving forward.
Siming (verified owner) –
This is a truly insightful book from a perspective of a non-professional. I personally don’t work in trauma treatment or engage in any psychotherapy work. I bought and read this book wholly because recently, I painfully came to terms with that fact that my partner had been deeply traumatised as a child. The whole ‘enlightenment’ was unfolded to me as he quickly shut down, withdrew, and acted like a completely different person when his work started to get more stressful.
Reading the book has shed some light on the loss, disorientation, deep sadness that my partner has been experiencing (with some help of Bowlby’s attachment theory). For now, I can at least say I feel more confident at dealing with some of his ‘hidden parts’ and helping him feel more at peace with the bad memories in his earlier years, albeit not playing a role as a therapist. For those who want to learn more about their partner/loved ones, one important takeaway from this book is that we need to learn to better contain their emotions and be more attuned with our feelings when hearing about their trauma and loss. At times, it is really not our doing that caused their distress. So we don’t always need to take their ‘switched-off’ behaviours too personally.
In our everyday life, we tend to secretly blame others for being too cold, too distant, and too dishonest. We hate that people are incapable of being true to themselves and therefore despair. It can feel frustrating, when loved ones suddenly act disconnected from us, chunking a stone wall in our face. We cried, feeling indignant as we are not meant to bear the consequence of what has been messed up in the past of others. But the world is full of broken people. Some are so broken that they are accused of being a damage to the society. Some are less so but their loved ones shed tears that could have been saved for laughter. What we can offer is listening, witnessing and sympathising. By doing so, we help our loved ones rebuild a narrative that will potentially reconstruct their own identity. Acknowledging this is important to maintain boundaries of self-love and love for others.
Some bits of this book can get very technical at times, making it a challenging read. But I recommend this book anyways for the reason that I thoroughly enjoyed the book and it is a well-researched, effective tool to help me understand the skills needed to deal with a wounded partner.
B Street (verified owner) –
This is a really good book to purchase if you work with clients who experienced chronic childhood trauma.
Jessamy Klapper (verified owner) –
This framework combines so many modalities in one in an extremely thoughtful and useful way. Not just for emotional abuse but any complex or developmental trauma.
Anil Shankar (verified owner) –
Trauma is universally experienced in various forms by all human beings (and may be living beings).
There are quite a few books out there on coping with trauma through spiritual/clinical/yogic practices; not a very convincing scientific approach if you are looking for researchers, institutions, and clinics that have successfully implemented any type of healing approaches for trauma.
This books is a gem. The research is verifiable and the approaches are vetted through world-renowned peer-reviewed venues of clinical research and practice.
What is different about this books is:
– it has content for both the therapist and the patient
– component-based approach is general (not tied to a specific method) and is personalizable by both the therapist and the patient
– practical lessons for survivors of trauma
– zero b.s.
Get it. And read it slowly, you will learn a lot even if you’re one of the lucky ones who’re blessed to not deal with trauma of any kind.
Psychotherapist, arts & sciences enthusiast (verified owner) –
Whether you are a seasoned practitioner, a novice, a teacher of an advanced practice class, or a non-professional interested in knowing more about growing from complex trauma, this book is a fascinating read and a nuanced resource. Case examples weave across chapters and involve the reader in vivid illustrations of complex-trauma treatment as clients pursue recovery from stress wounds that originated in childhood and that resulted in adult symptoms. If ONLY I’d had this book in the years during which I was teaching a masters-level class in trauma treatment! What fruitful discussions it would have sparked. The book offers the latest perspectives on healthy practice and supervision, especially in light of the new complex post-traumatic stress disorder treatment classification (CPTSD; ICD 11, 2018). Traumatization is part of the human condition, and trauma work pings at the little pieces of the therapist that resonate with the client’s trauma. The therapist who is in an authentic, open, creative, reflective, and supportive environment that includes congruent supervision can avoid depletion. This book is written by authors at apex of the complex trauma field, who are immersed in its art and science. It is a breath of fresh air and a window into the healthful process of catalyzing healing and growth in self and in people who have experienced CPTSD.