Description
This book provides a theoretical framework and a practical model of intervention for distressed couples whose relationships are affected by the echoes of trauma. Combining attachment theory, trauma research, and emotionally focused therapeutic techniques, Susan M. Johnson guides the clinician in modifying the interactional patterns that maintain traumatic stress and fostering positive, healing relationships among survivors and their partners. In-depth case material brings to life the process of assessment and treatment with couples coping with the impact of different kinds of trauma, including childhood abuse, serious illness, and combat experiences. The concluding chapter features valuable advice on therapist self-care.
This is the best book I’ve seen on the topic, and looks at the only modality I’d want to use in couples work. EFT focuses on attachment and narrows down the focus to particular patterns. By meeting the attachment needs to create safety in the relationship, people start to heal. Reading this book made me think all trauma work should include the client’s significant other if possible.
I love Dr. Sue Johnson’s works on couples therapy and attachment theory. As someone with Aspergers, I find it extremely useful to learn about relationships and emotion from the systems theory perspective and am constantly observing Sue’s claims in real life. Taking a non-pathologizing approach to trauma and associated defense mechanisms allows the therapist to offer a secure base to clients that they are unlikely to find elsewhere. This is especially true given that trauma often spills into their core relationships, and partners generally don’t understand the nature of PTSD. I highly recommend this book for anyone wanting to learn more about the nature of trauma or therapists looking into EFT.
A great book to help de-mystify some of the greater challenges.
I think every therapist//counselor should have this on their book shelf! What an excellent way to describe trauma for the read to understand it. Trauma comes in all forms, times and places such as; domestic violence, childhood abuse, death of a child,natural disasters, traumatic accident, war etc….these are all traumatic events that can have lasting effects on your clients (both or just one of them) that is effecting their connection as a couple. This book is therapist/ counselor focused treatment of EFT for couples who have trauma (past or present), but I recommend that therapist/counselors read this even if they are not going down the treatment path of trauma focused techniques. It will open one up to compassion and understanding to all victims of trauma.
The book details the ways in which those suffering from truama symptoms i.e. PTSD are effected in thier closests relationships, particularly marriage. It gives many real examples of couples and walks a couples therapist through the details of a relationship where trauma and relational distress intersect in a close relayionship …using and applying attachment theory as a guide to healthy adult relationships. I highly recommend it.
While written by a teaching professor for therapists, the reading level is popular with minimal technical language.