Full Description
In this practical guide, Shannon Hodges draws on his 40 years of experience as counselor, clinical supervisor, consultant, author, and trainer in sharing information to help clinicians and clients in the healing journey of treating PTSD, anxiety, phobias, and stress.
This book provides a comprehensive treatment approach to treating trauma as well as managing anxiety and stress and provides simple, effective techniques for overcoming trauma symptoms. It offers an efficacious, self-reflective, mindfulness-based approach to treatment. Written in workbook style, the text offers practical exercises that provide step-by-step guidance for using a mindfulness-based cognitive and narrative exercise approach within therapy. The text is supported by a strengths-based philosophy of "What has happened to you?" rather than a "What's wrong with you?" approach to healing. It guides readers from fundamentals to provide a foundation for understanding trauma, through various connected topics to enable readers or their patients to address their trauma, self soothe, manage trauma, and more. Each chapter offers practical, self-guided exercises designed to assist the reader in addressing trauma healing, anxiety and stress reduction in a personal manner. The text is most suitable for ages ranging from 12 years onward, with a wide range of activities involving scaling questions, fill-in-the-blanks, short writing exercises, and creative activities like the empty chair conversation, letters to your younger self and future self, forgiveness exercises and many more.
This book serves as a valuable resource for mental health professionals, clients in therapy, and former clients continuing their healing journey. It's also beneficial for students in counseling, psychology, and social work programs. The guided, hands-on approach helps build resilience across various contexts, making it widely applicable for both clinical practice and personal development.
Contents
Chapter 1 Understanding and Managing Trauma
Trauma defined (ASD vs. PTSD) Type I Trauma (Single Episode), Type II Trauma (Complex & Ongoing), Pre-Event Factors & Post-Event Factors, PTSD Symptoms, Self-Compassion, PTSD Assessment, Various Narrative Exercises related to self-soothing and treating Trauma, Lessons Learned
Chapter 2 Establishing Safety and Security
Narrative Exercises regarding Safety and Security, Safe Space Visualization, Safety Checklist, Progressive Relaxation, Meditation, Box Breathing, List of Safe Persons to Contact, Listing Reasons for Living, Crisis Intervention Plan, My Strengths Exercise Reflection, Lessons Learned
Chapter 3 Addressing Your Trauma
SUDS Scale, Dissociation, Trauma Inventory, Addressing Flashbacks, Lucid Dreaming, My Courage to Heal Reflection, Trauma Timeline with Narratives, Writing My Trauma Story, Journaling for Healing (Ways I am healing my trauma...), Lessons Learned
Chapter 4 Self-Soothing Interventions When You Are Triggered
Recognizing and managing Triggers, The Mind-Body-Breath & Spirit approach, Treating Traumatic Memories, Narrative Exercises, Present Time Question, Identifying Your Triggers (Narrative and Practical Interventions), The Empty Chair Conversation with Your Triggers (What are My Triggers Trying to Teach Me?), Lessons Learned
Chapter 5 Managing Trauma when it Arises
Separating a Trauma Memory into Smaller Sections, Procrastination, What is the Purpose of a Trauma Memory? Dissociation: Why We Do It, Addressing Dissociation, Behaviors Resulting from Trauma/Dissociation (Avoidance, Depression, Anger, etc.), How I Wish to Change My Trauma Behaviors Exercises (e.g., List triggers and Ways to manage them, Stopping Self-Injurious Behaviors (SIBS) Gradual Exposure Therapy, Empty Chair Conversation with Your Trauma, Lessons Learned
Chapter 6 Regaining Trust and Developing Self-Compassion
Trauma's Impact on Self-Beliefs and Self-Reflective Exercise, the 3 Cs of CBT, People Who Have Betrayed Me Exercise, People Who Have Earned My Trust Exercise, Journaling on Trust: What is trust? Forgiveness and Trust, Establishing Boundaries, How Earned and Lost? Power and Control Exercise: Beliefs Regarding Power & Control, Challenging Power & Control Beliefs, Self-Compassion Defined and Exercises, Forgiveness: Healthy Forgiveness for Self and Others, Forgiveness Exercises, Self-Compassion Affirmations, Lessons Learned
Chapter 7 Addressing Trauma Symptomology: Negative Self-Talk, Social Isolation, and Incongruent Emotional Expression
Listing & Challenging Negative Beliefs Exercise, Cognitive Reframing, Addressing Self-Talk's Messages, Fear: Unpacking My Fears, Listing Negative Thoughts, Expressing my Anger and Rage: How Anger has Wounded Me Exercise, Healthy Expressions of Anger, Addressing Depression and Guilt, What's My Responsibility Exercise, Survivor Guilt: Addressing Survivor Guilt: Origination, Who's Responsible for my Guilt?, My Shame Beliefs, Healing My Shame Beliefs, Grief and Healing, Emotional Regulation: Mind, Body, Breath & Spirit Exercises, Communication and Active Listening, Lessons Learned
Chapter 8 Calming the Lizard Brain for Improved Work Relations, Home Life and Quality Sleep
Gratitude Practice, Grounding exercises, Cognitive Reframing, Asking, "What is the difficult colleague teaching me?" type questioning, Challenging Negative Beliefs, Positive Visualization, Meditation, Forgiveness Routine, The Second Arrow, Releasing Angry Thoughts, Boundaries, Lessons Learned
Chapter 9 Managing Stress: EFT Tapping, Breathwork, Meditation, and Movement
Tapping for Self-Soothing, Box Breathing, Vagus Nerve Breathing, Meditation (variations), Healing Movement (aerobic and anaerobic), Lessons Learned
Chapter 10 Helping First Responders
Asking for Help Exercise, Professional Quality of Life Test-5, Assessing Compassion Fatigue and Burnout, Survivors' Guilt, Developing Presence to Assist Others, Narrative Response and Exploration Exercises, My Trauma Healing Journal, Lessons Learned
Chapter 11 Creating a Meaningful Life: Practical Exercises
Defining Meaning, Assessing Meaning in Life, Narrative Self-Reflective Meaning Exercises, A Meaning Journal, What Meaning in Life Looks Like, Drawing Meaning Exercise, Lessons Learned
Chapter 12 Lessons Learned Through Healing
Post-Traumatic Growth, Self-Reflective Exercises, Charting Healing Experiences, Self-Forgiveness, Meditations on Healing, What Disappointment is Trying to Teach Me, What Trauma Healing and Post-Traumatic Growth Has Taught Me, Empty Chair Talk with My Younger Self, Empty Chair Talk with My Future Self, Lessons Learned
