Healing the Traumatized Self

Breaking new ground, if not creating an entirely new research and clinical domain, this book startles with its intelligence and breadth. Frewen and Lanius call upon over a decade of functional MRI research and detailed clinical interviews to define what they refer to as 'trauma-related altered states of consciousness' (TRASC). The ideas are new, the data are very strong, and the grounding in the real-world experience of suffering people is refreshing. This is a whole new step forward in understanding and assisting those with dissociative difficulties. -- John Briere, PhD, Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Psychology, University of Southern California; Director, USC Adolescent Trauma Training Center, National Child Traumatic Stress Network This is a landmark book in the history of psychotraumatology. Frewen and Lanius have created a new intellectual blueprint for understanding dissociation. Their book is unique in providing a detailed integration of the latest neuroscientific findings with the experience of what it is like to be traumatized. It is a treasure trove of ideas for anyone pursuing the study or healing of the traumatized self. -- Chris R. Brewin, Professor of Clinical Psychology, University College London This book reaches into the depth of PTSD-the invisible domain of troubled brains that can captivate the mental apparatus. Healing the Traumatzied Self provides clear insights to help people return to the joys of human companionship. It is a must read for all who wish to understand the neurodynamics of broken minds and pathways to healing. -- Jaak Panksepp, Professor of Neuroscience and Baily Endowed Chair of Animal Well Being Science, Washington State University, Pullman, WA In this scholarly, highly focused, yet accessible and readable volume, Frewen and Lanius tackle the characterization, meaning, and neurophenomenological basis for dissociation. The deep clinical insights coupled with state of the art neuroimaging data permit an in-depth analysis of dissociation in its many forms, and its relationship to traumatization, perception, and brain/mind/body connections. This work considerably advances our knowledge of dissociation and lays out a pathway for successful therapeutic interventions for highly traumatized individuals. -- Rachel Yehuda, PhD, Director of the Traumatic Stress Studies Division at Icahn School of Medicine; Mental Health Patient Care Center Director at the James J. Peters Veterans Affairs Medical Center