Treating Complex Traumatic Stress Disorders: An Evidence-Based Guide » (New Edition)

Christine A. Courtois, PhD, is a psychologist in private practice in Washington, DC. She is cofounder and past Clinical and Training Director of The Center: Posttraumatic Disorders Program at the Psychiatric Institute of Washington, and past Codirector of the Maryland Psychological Association’s Post-Doctoral Institute on Psychological Trauma. Dr. Courtois has authored three books, including Healing the Incest Wound, as well as numerous articles and book chapters. Among her most recent awards are the Outstanding Contributions to Professional Practice Award from Division 56 (Psychological Trauma) of the American Psychological Association and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation. Dr. Courtois routinely conducts professional training locally, nationally, and internationally on topics related to traumatic stress.

Julian D. Ford, PhD, is Associate Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine and Director of the University of Connecticut Health Center Child Trauma Clinic and Center for Trauma Response Recovery and Preparedness. He has developed the Trauma Affect Regulation: Guide for Education and Therapy (TARGET) treatment model for adult, adolescent, and child traumatic stress disorders, and conducts research on psychotherapy and family therapy, health services utilization, psychometric screening and assessment, and psychiatric epidemiology. Dr. Ford has coedited two other recent books, Treating Traumatized Children: Risk, Resilience, and Recovery and The Encyclopedia of Psychological Trauma.

Chronic childhood trauma, such as prolonged abuse or family violence, can severely disrupt a person's development, basic sense of self, and later relationships. Adults with this type of history often come to therapy with complex symptoms that go beyond existing criteria for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This important book brings together prominent authorities to present the latest thinking on complex traumatic stress disorders and provide practical guidelines for conceptualization and treatment. Evidence-based assessment procedures are detailed, and innovative individual, couple, family, and group therapies are described and illustrated with case vignettes and session transcripts.

EABP Newsletter

"Presents a well-researched, comprehensive source for clinical expertise in the area of complex traumatic stress disorder--specifically PTSD."--EABP Newsletter

Foreword, Judith L. Herman

Introduction, Christine A. Courtois and Julian D. Ford

I. Overview

1. Defining and Understanding Complex Trauma and Complex Traumatic Stress Disorders, Julian D. Ford and Christine A. Courtois

2. Neurobiological and Developmental Research: Clinical Implications, Julian D. Ford

3. Best Practices in Psychotherapy for Children and Adolescents, Julian D. Ford and Marylene Cloitre

4. Best Practices in Psychotherapy for Adults, Christine A. Courtois, Julian D. Ford, and Marylene Cloitre

5. Assessment of the Sequelae of Complex Trauma: Evidence-Based Measures, John Briere and Joseph Spinazzola

6. Assessment of Attachment and Abuse History, and Adult Attachment Style, Daniel Brown

7. Treating Dissociation, Kathy Steele and Onno van der Hart

8. Cultural Competence, Laura S. Brown

9. Therapeutic Alliance and Risk Management, Philip J. Kinsler, Christine A. Courtois, and A. Steven Frankel

10. Living and Working Self-Reflectively to Address Vicarious Trauma, Laurie Anne Pearlman and James Caringi

II. Individual Treatment Approaches and Strategies

11. Contextual Therapy, Steven N. Gold

12. Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, Christie Jackson, Kore Nissenson, and Marylene Cloitre

13. Contextual Behavior Trauma Therapy, Victoria M. Follette, Katherine M. Iverson, and Julian D. Ford

14. Experiential and Emotion-Focused Therapy, Diana Fosha, Sandra Paivio, Kari Gleiser, and Julian D. Ford

15. Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, Janina Fisher and Pat Ogden

16. Pharmacotherapy, Lewis A. Opler, Michelle S. Grennan, and Julian D. Ford

III. Systemic Treatment Approaches and Strategies

17. Internal Family Systems Therapy, Richard C. Schwartz, Mark F. Schwartz, and Lori Galperin

18. Couple Therapy, Susan M. Johnson and Christine A. Courtois

19. Family Systems Therapy, Julian D. Ford and William Saltzman

20. Group Therapy, Julian D. Ford, Roger D. Fallot, and Maxine Harris

Conclusion: The Clinical Utility of a Complex Traumatic Stress Disorders Framework, Julian D. Ford and Christine A. Courtois

Afterword, Bessel A. van der Kolk