From Survival to Fulfilment: A Framework for Traumatology

by Valent,Paul

• ISBN13: 9780876309223
• ISBN10: 0876309228
• Format: Nonspecific Binding
• Copyright: 1998-08-01
• Publisher: Routledge

Summary

Paul Valent sees that the dialectic is not between "life and death" but between "life and trauma". This text theorizes that the big issues of life can now be approached through the science of traumatology. Through communication with, and observation of, people whose lives have been stretched under stress or disrupted by trauma, the fulfilling components of their lives can be defined, oriented and categorized. It introduces the theory on the back of clinical and historical material, examining the current state of such concepts as stress, trauma, defences, memories, post post-traumatic stress disorder, and other illnesses. It should be of interest to those in the healing professions or to those who work with traumatized individuals, lawyers, social workers, clergy and those in the humanities in general.

Author Biography

Paul Valent is the founder and president of Child Survivors of the Holocaust in Melbourne, Australia, as well as the cofounder of the Australasian Society for Traumatic Stress Studies.

Table of Contents

Preface	p. ix
Acknowledgments	p. xiii
An Introduction to the Field of Traumatology
Introduction to the Magnitude and Complexity of the Field of Traumatology	p. 3
The Ash Wednesday Bush Fires	p. 5
A Case of Angina in the Emergency Department	p. 11
A Child Survivor of the Holocaust	p. 12
The Wholist Perspective to Help Orientate and Understand Traumatic Stress Responses	p. 15
Features of Stress and Trauma in Different Traumatic Situations	p. 19
War	p. 20
The Holocaust	p. 28
Natural Disasters	p. 31
Accidents	p. 34
Physical Assault, Rape, and Torture	p. 36
Sexual Assault of Children and Incest	p. 38
Psychosomatic Medicine	p. 42
Dying and Bereavement	p. 44
Lessons from Across Different Traumatic Situations	p. 45
The Triaxial Framework: the Process, Parameters, and Depth Axes As Coordinates for Orientation of Concepts in Traumatic Stress and Fulfillment
Components of Axis 1, the Process Axis	p. 51
Stressors	p. 52
Appraisals	p. 53
Stress	p. 55
Stress Responses	p. 56
Vulnerabilities	p. 65
Strengths	p. 67
Trauma	p. 68
Defenses	p. 70
Memories	p. 73
Components of Axis 2, the Parameters Axis	p. 81
Factors in Traumatic Situations	p. 81
Phases of Traumatic Situations	p. 82
Social System Levels	p. 82
Developmental Phases	p. 82
Components of Axis 3, the Depth Axis	p. 87
A Hierarchy of Human Function Levels	p. 87
Fulfillment and Traumatization at Different Function Levels	p. 88
The Life-Trauma Dialectic: The Purpose of Life	p. 98
Illnesses and the Triaxial Framework	p. 101
Historical Background	p. 102
Phenomenological Stream of Stress and Trauma Illness	p. 104
Dynamic Stream	p. 106
Phenomenological and Dynamic Streams in Children	p. 107
Other Theories of Trauma Illnesses	p. 108
The Triaxial Framework Applied to Views of Illnesses	p. 108
Survival Strategies: An Octave for the Symphony of Traumatic Stress and Fulfillment
Introduction to Survival Strategies	p. 115
Evolution and Strategies of Survival	p. 115
Precursors to Survival Strategies	p. 117
Survival Strategies	p. 119
The Eight Survival Strategies and Appraisals that Evoke Them	p. 121
Rescue-Caretaking	p. 125
The Process Axis	p. 126
Parameters Axis	p. 130
Fulfillment and Trauma Along the Depth Axis	p. 130
Attachment	p. 133
The Process Axis	p. 133
Parameters Axis	p. 138
Fulfillment and Trauma Along the Depth Axis	p. 139
Assertiveness: Goal Achievement	p. 143
The Process Axis	p. 144
Parameters Axis	p. 148
Fulfillment and Trauma Along the Depth Axis	p. 149
Adaptation: Goal Surrender	p. 151
The Process Axis	p. 152
Parameters Axis	p. 157
Fulfillment and Trauma Along the Depth Axis	p. 158
Fight: Defense	p. 161
The Process Axis	p. 162
Parameters Axis	p. 165
Fulfillment and Trauma Along the Depth Axis	p. 167
Flight: Escape	p. 171
The Process Axis	p. 171
Parameters Axis	p. 175
Fulfillment and Trauma Along the Depth Axis	p. 176
Competition: Struggle	p. 179
The Process Axis	p. 180
Parameters Axis	p. 183
Fulfillment and Trauma Along the Depth Axis	p. 184
Cooperation: Love	p. 187
The Process Axis	p. 188
Parameters Axis	p. 191
Fulfillment and Trauma Along the Depth Axis	p. 192
The Wholist Perspective: An Integrated Framework of Traumatic Stress and Fulfillment
The Wholist View of Traumatic Stress--Making Sense Within the Life-Trauma Dialectic	p. 197
An Elegant Model for the Life-Trauma Dialectic	p. 197
Applications of the Wholist Perspective	p. 199
Conclusion: From Survival to Fulfillment	p. 211
Reference	p. 215
Name Index	p. 239
Subject Index	p. 247
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