Life After Trauma A Workbook for Healing

by Rosenbloom, Dena; Williams, Mary Beth; Watkins, Barbara E.

• ISBN13: 9781572302396
• ISBN10: 1572302399
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1999-04-19
• Publisher: The Guilford Press

Summary

Trauma can turn a person's world upside down-- afterward, nothing may look safe or familiar. This supportive workbook helps trauma survivors find and use crucial skills for coping, self-understanding, and self-care. Even when the worst has happened, this book shows how it is possible to feel good again. Filled with comforting activities, relaxation techniques, self-evaluation questionnaires, and exercises, the workbook explains how and why trauma can throw you for a loop and what survivors can do now to cope. Chapters guide readers step-by-step toward reclaiming a basic sense of safety, self-worth, and control over their lives, as well as the capacity to trust and be close to others. Readers learn how to protect themselves from overwhelming memories and to heal from trauma-related reactions that may be disturbing their day-to-day lives. Written by experts in treating trauma and based on extensive research, the workbook can be used on its own or in conjunction with psychotherapy.

Author Biography

Dena Rosenbloom, PhD, a clinical psychologist in private practice in Glastonbury, Connecticut, specializes in helping people who are trying to cope following traumatic life events. She also conducts critical incident stress debriefings for groups of people who have experienced a shared trauma, such as a natural disaster or the death of a coworker on the job, and runs trainings and workshops for trauma survivors and mental health and medical professionals.

Mary Beth Williams, PhD, LCSW, CTS, works with trauma survivors in private practice in Warrenton, Virginia, and is a school social worker in Falls Church, Virginia. Dr. Williams is President of the Association of Traumatic Stress Specialists and a staff member of the National Training Program for Post-Trauma Therapists in Finland. She is the author of numerous publications on trauma and its treatment.

Barbara E. Watkins is a writer and editor living in Boston.

Table of Contents

Foreword	xvii
Laurie Anne Pearlman
Acknowledgments	xix
PROLOGUE: BEFORE YOU BEGIN	1	(312)
Is This Book for You?	1	(1)
How This Workbook Can Help You	2	(2)
How This Workbook Is Organized	4	(4)
Tips and Cautions for Using This Workbook	8	(9)
Finding Companions: The Comfort of Others	8	(1)
The Importance of Self-Care Strategies	8	(3)
Affirmations and Soothing Self-Talk	11	(1)
Caution: When to Set the Workbook Aside	12	(2)
Coping with Triggers of Past Traumas	14	(3)
After Trauma: Why You Feel Thrown For A Loop	17	(16)
What Is Trauma?	17	(1)
Common Reactions to Trauma	18	(5)
Physical Reactions	18	(1)
Mental Reactions	19	(1)
Emotional Reactions	20	(2)
Behavioral Reactions	22	(1)
Supportive Relationships Can Change Following Trauma	23	(2)
Checking In with Yourself	25	(2)
Why Check In with Yourself?	25	(1)
How to Check In with Yourself	26	(1)
Learning to Relax	27	(6)
Ways of Coping After The Trauma	33	(28)
Trauma Can Disrupt How You Cope	34	(3)
Identifying Your Ways of Coping	37	(5)
Thinking about Your Coping Strategies	41	(1)
Guidelines for Coping Effectively with Stress	42	(1)
Coping with Negative Feelings	43	(7)
Knowing How to Comfort Yourself	44	(1)
Knowing When to Self-Comfort: Paying Attention to Your Feelings and Reactions	45	(2)
Learning More about Your Relationship with Yourself	47	(1)
Learning to Recognize, and Use, Dissociation	48	(2)
Staying Safe out in the World	50	(8)
Feeling Emotional Connection with Other People	51	(2)
Handling Feedback from Others without Being Devastated	53	(1)
Anticipating Consequences	54	(2)
Maintaining Interpersonal Boundaries	56	(1)
Finding Mutual Relationships	57	(1)
Time Out to Relax	58	(3)
Thinking Things Through	61	(36)
Making Sense of Your Posttrauma Reactions	61	(5)
Sorting Out Facts from Reactions	63	(1)
Sorting Out Facts from Meanings	64	(2)
Making Sense of Beliefs	66	(9)
The Trouble with All-or-Nothing Thinking	68	(2)
How Do You Think about Things?	70	(1)
Accommodation: Understanding How Beliefs Change	71	(1)
Trauma and the Five Basic Needs	72	(2)
Why Identify Your Basic Beliefs?	74	(1)
Tracking Reactions to Their Source in Changed Beliefs	75	(3)
How to Identify Your Basic Beliefs and Evaluate Them	76	(2)
Pinpointing Problem Areas to Think Through Further	78	(1)
Thinking Through a Belief	78	(5)
Weighing the Evidence of What You Believe	83	(14)
Brainstorm Ideas for Collecting Evidence	83	(1)
Rank Ideas by Lowest Risk First	83	(2)
Carry Out Lowest Risk Ways to Collect Evidence	85	(2)
Record and Weigh the Evidence for or against the Belief	87	(1)
Troubleshooting When Beliefs Are Particularly Hard to Change	88	(9)
Feeling Safe; Being Safe	97	(44)
How Safety Can Be an Issue after Trauma	97	(2)
Is Safety a Problem for You?	99	(1)
What Can Safety Mean?	99	(2)
Dimensions of Safety	101	(3)
Being Safe with Yourself	101	(1)
Being Safe with Other People	102	(1)
Being Safe out in the World	102	(1)
Other Aspects of Safety	103	(1)
What Does Safety Mean to You?	104	(2)
Sorting Out Facts about Safety from Your Reactions	106	(8)
How Safe Do You Feel?	107	(2)
How Safe Do You Think You Are?	109	(2)
Weighing the Evidence: How Safe Are You Really?	111	(3)
Strategies for Protecting Yourself	114	(4)
Protecting Yourself on the Inside	114	(1)
Protecting Yourself on the Outside	115	(3)
Do You Feel Safe Enough?	118	(1)
Tracking Reactions to Beliefs about Safety	119	(7)
Identifying Your Beliefs about Safety	119	(3)
Evaluating How a Belief Helps and Hinders You	122	(1)
Pinpointing Problems Areas to Think Through Further	122	(2)
Taking Stock	124	(2)
Thinking Through a Belief about Safety	126	(4)
Choosing Beliefs to Work On	126	(1)
Sort Out the Facts, Sort Out the Meaning, Identify the Belief	127	(1)
Evaluate the Pros and Cons of the Belief	127	(1)
Imagine Alternative Meanings for the Same Facts	127	(1)
Evaluate the Pros and Cons of the Alternative Meaning	127	(1)
Consider How to Check the Accuracy of These Beliefs	127	(3)
Put the Process in Perspective	130	(1)
Weighing the Evidence on Beliefs about Safety	130	(8)
Weigh the Evidence on the Existing Belief	130	(1)
Weigh the Evidence on an Alternative Meaning	131	(1)
Collect New Evidence on Safety	131	(3)
Brainstorm Ideas for Collecting Evidence	134	(1)
Rank Ideas by Lowest Risk First	134	(2)
Carry Out the Lowest Risk Ways to Collect Evidence	136	(2)
Summarizing Your Work on Safety	138	(3)
What Does It Mean To Trust?	141	(42)
How Trust Can Be an Issue after Trauma	141	(3)
Trusting Others	141	(2)
Trusting Ourselves	143	(1)
What Can Trust Mean?	144	(4)
What Does Trust Mean to You?	148	(4)
Trusting Yourself	148	(1)
Trusting Others	149	(3)
Sorting Out Facts about Trust from Reactions: Shades of Gray	152	(6)
Do You Feel Trusting Enough?	158	(1)
Tracking Reactions to Beliefs about Trust	159	(7)
Identifying Your Beliefs about Trust	159	(2)
Evaluating How a Belief Helps and Hinders You	161	(2)
Pinpointing Problem Areas to Think Through Further	163	(1)
Taking Stock	164	(2)
Thinking Through Beliefs about Trust	166	(6)
Choosing Beliefs to Work On	166	(1)
Sort Out the Facts of What Happened	166	(1)
Sort Out the Meaning the Facts Have for You	167	(1)
Identify the Underlying Belief	167	(1)
Evaluate the Pros and Cons of the Belief	167	(3)
Imagine Alternative Meanings for the Same Facts	170	(1)
Evaluate the Pros and Cons of the Alternative Meaning	170	(1)
Consider How to Check the Accuracy of the Belief	170	(1)
Put the Process in Perspective	171	(1)
Weighing the Evidence on Beliefs about Trust	172	(7)
Weigh the Evidence on the Existing Belief	172	(1)
Brainstorm Ideas for Collecting Evidence	172	(2)
Rank Ideas by Lowest Risk First	174	(2)
Carry Out Lowest Risk Ways to Collect Evidence	176	(1)
Record and Weigh the Evidence for and against the Belief	176	(3)
Summarizing Your Work on Trust	179	(4)
Regaining Control In Your Life	183	(44)
How Control and Power Can Be Issues after Trauma	183	(3)
Loss of Self-Control	184	(1)
Loss of Power to Affect the World and Other People	184	(2)
What Can It Mean to Be Powerful and in Control?	186	(9)
The Sources and Limitations of Personal Power and Control	188	(2)
Empowering Yourself	190	(1)
Having an Effect on Others	191	(1)
Boundaries	192	(1)
Hurting Yourself	193	(2)
What Do Power and Control Mean to You?	195	(6)
Personal Power and Self-Control	195	(2)
Understanding Your Physical Boundaries	197	(1)
Understanding Your Emotional Boundaries	198	(1)
Power, Control, and Other People	199	(1)
Symbols of Your Personal Power: Coping with Feelings of Helplessness	200	(1)
Sorting Out Facts about Power and Control from Your Reactions: Shades of Gray	201	(1)
Do You Have Enough Control in Your Life?	202	(3)
Tracking Reactions to Beliefs about Power and Control	205	(8)
Identifying Your Beliefs about Power and Control	205	(3)
Evaluating How a Belief Helps and Hinders You	208	(2)
Pinpointing Problem Areas to Think Through Further	210	(1)
Taking Stock	211	(2)
Thinking Through a Belief about Power and Control	213	(6)
Choosing Beliefs to Work On	213	(1)
Sort Out the Facts of What Happened	213	(3)
Sort Out the Meaning the Facts Have for You	216	(1)
Identify the Underlying Belief	216	(1)
Evaluate the Pros and Cons of the Belief	216	(1)
Imagine an Alternative Interpretation for the Same Facts	216	(1)
Evaluate the Pros and Cons of the Alternative Meaning	217	(1)
Consider How to Check the Accuracy of the Belief	217	(2)
Put the Process in Perspective	219	(1)
Weighing the Evidence on Beliefs about Power and Control	219	(6)
Brainstorm Ideas for Collecting Evidence	219	(2)
Rank Ideas by Lowest Risk First	221	(1)
Carry Out Lowest Risk Ways to Collect Evidence	221	(1)
Record and Weigh the Evidence for and against the Belief	221	(4)
Summarizing Your Work on Power and Control	225	(2)
Valuing Yourself And Others	227	(38)
How Trauma Can Affect Self-Esteem	227	(5)
Shame and Self-Esteem	228	(1)
Responsibility, Anger, and Blame	229	(1)
Withdrawing from Others	230	(1)
Valuing Other People	231	(1)
What Can Value and Esteem Mean?	232	(5)
What Is of Value to You?	234	(1)
The Difference between Rights and Rewards	234	(1)
Money, Power, and Expectations	235	(2)
What Does Self-Esteem Mean to You?	237	(4)
Esteem for Your Self---Warts and All	239	(1)
Your Bill of Rights	240	(1)
Sorting Out Facts about Esteem from Reactions: Shades of Gray	241	(1)
Do You Have Enough Self-Esteem?	241	(3)
Tracking Reactions to Beliefs about Value and Esteem	244	(4)
Identifying Your Beliefs about Your Value	244	(1)
Evaluating How a Belief Helps and Hinders You	244	(2)
Pinpointing Problem Areas to Think Through Further	246	(2)
Taking Stock	248	(1)
Thinking Through a Belief about Value and Self-Esteem	248	(8)
Choosing Beliefs to Work On	250	(1)
Sort Out the Facts of What Happened	250	(1)
Sort Out the Meaning the Facts Have for You	250	(1)
Identify the Underlying Belief	251	(1)
Evaluate the Pros and Cons of the Belief	251	(1)
Imagine Alternative Meanings for the Same Facts	251	(4)
Evaluate the Pros and Cons of the Alternative Meaning	255	(1)
Consider How to Check the Accuracy of the Belief	255	(1)
Put the Process in Perspective	255	(1)
Weighing the Evidence on Beliefs about Value and Esteem	256	(4)
Brainstorm Ideas for Collecting Evidence	256	(2)
Rank Ideas by Lowest Risk First	258	(1)
Carry Out Lowest Risk Ways to Collect Evidence	258	(2)
Record and Weigh the Evidence for and against the Belief	260	(1)
Summarizing Your Work on Value and Self-Esteem	260	(5)
Feeling Close To Others	265	(48)
How Intimacy Can Be an Issue after Trauma	265	(5)
Feeling a Stranger to Yourself	265	(1)
Feeling Disconnected from Others	266	(4)
What Can Intimacy Mean?	270	(7)
The Risk of Letting Yourself Be Known	271	(1)
Being Accepted; Accepting Another	272	(3)
Accepting Differences	275	(2)
What Does Intimacy Mean to You?	277	(3)
Sorting Out Facts about Intimacy from Reactions: Shades of Gray	280	(6)
How Well Are You Known and Accepted?	284	(2)
Are You Getting Enough of What You Need from Intimacy?	286	(2)
Balancing Intimacy with Other Needs	288	(5)
Intimacy and Safety in a Relationship	289	(2)
Intimacy and Trust	291	(1)
Intimacy, Power, and Control	291	(1)
Intimacy and Self-Esteem	292	(1)
How Well Do You Balance Intimacy with Other Needs?	292	(1)
Tracking Reactions to Beliefs about Intimacy	293	(8)
Sorting Out Facts from Meanings: Examining the Interaction Process	294	(4)
Identifying Beliefs about Intimacy	298	(3)
Evaluating How a Belief Helps and Hinders You	301	(1)
Imagining, and Evaluating, an Alternative Interpretation	301	(2)
Taking Stock	303	(1)
Weighing the Evidence	303	(5)
Summarizing Your Work on Intimacy	308	(5)
EPILOGUE: HEALING FOR THE LONG TERM	313	(12)
Coping with Stress	313	(4)
Be Flexible, Think Flexibly	314	(1)
Learn All You Can about What Is Going to Happen	314	(1)
Plan Ahead	315	(1)
Avoid Impulsive Changes	315	(1)
Try Not to Change Too Many Things at Once	315	(1)
Pay Attention to Your Feelings and Reactions	315	(1)
Talk to Others Who Have Survived Similar Changes or Experiences	316	(1)
Seek Support from People Who Can Listen, Offer Feedback, or Help in Other Ways	316	(1)
Allow Yourself to Grieve Losses	316	(1)
Take Your Time	317	(1)
Growing Stronger	317	(3)
Recognizing Your Strengths	317	(2)
Bringing Your Life Into Focus	319	(1)
Achieving Emotional Freedom	319	(1)
Toward a Greater Meaning	320	(3)
Conclusion	323	(2)
Appendix A: Recommended Readings	325	(6)
Appendix B: About Psychotherapy	331	(6)
Appendix C: Comments For Mental Health Professionals On How To Use This Workbook	337	(6)
Index	343