Arielle Schwartz - A Practical Guide to Complex PTSD: Compassionate Strategies to Begin Healing from Childhood Trauma

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ISBN: Print 978-1-64611-614-0 | eBook 978-1-64611-615-7

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I dedicate this book to those of you who have suffered from abuse or neglect as children and to the caring individuals who walk with you on your healing path. May the words and practices offered in this book provide guidance and inspire you with hope.

Contents

When we imagine the birth of a child, any child, we see a world that is safe. We envision a home filled with kindness and nurturance. While this home may not be perfect, it is a place where a child is able to learn and grow with curiosity and joy. Childhood trauma is a betrayal of this unspoken promise.

Complex post-traumatic stress disorder (C-PTSD) is a response to traumatic events that were ongoing or repeated. With childhood trauma, these events occurred in your early years and were likely to be unpredictable, chaotic, or terrifying. You may have had parents or caregivers who abused, neglected, or abandoned you repeatedly, or you may have seen repeated traumatic events. The complex aspect of C-PTSD means that the trauma was at an early enough age or was repeated often enough that it affected your emotional development.

Alternatively, you might be a spouse, caregiver, friend, or therapist who is reading this so that you can provide support for someone who suffered from childhood trauma. In either case, this book will serve as a guide for the healing journey.

This book is meant to provide compassionate support in the process of healing from childhood trauma. You can think of it as a lantern that will illuminate dark spaces and provide a sense of hope in moments of despair. As a psychologist who specializes in the treatment of childhood trauma and C-PTSD, I know the courage it takes to walk this path. I also know from experience that healing is possible. My own journey of healing from childhood trauma led me to specialize my therapy practice on the treatment of PTSD. I quickly discovered that clients were rarely coming to therapy with single traumatic events and that they did not respond quickly to treatment. Many of these clients had been misdiagnosed, felt frustrated with therapy, and were seeking a therapist who was willing to think outside the box when it came to treatment. Over the past 20 years, I have spent much of my career focusing on the most effective therapeutic interventions for complex trauma recovery.

The practical strategies you will learn in this book are taken from the most effective therapeutic interventions for trauma recovery. You will learn the skills to improve your physical and mental health by attending to the painful wounds from your past without feeling flooded with overwhelming emotion. My wish is to help you discover a new sense of freedom. The traumatic events of your past no longer need interfere with your ability to live a meaningful and satisfying life.

There are several ways you might approach this book. You might choose to read it on your own to help you understand the process of healing. However, most often, the deep work of reclaiming yourself from the grips of childhood trauma will be most powerful when it is a collaboration between you and a caring, trauma-informed therapist who can provide much-needed acceptance for the parts of you that feel unlovable, damaged, shameful, or unworthy. Together with a caring supporter, you can walk this healing path.

The guidance offered in this book can provide valuable support between therapy sessions and help you feel secure in your own capacity to turn toward yourself lovingly and compassionately. Its important to note, though, that recovery from C-PTSD is rarely achieved in short-term therapy. If you expect therapy to be a quick fix, you are likely to feel disappointed. Keep in mind that healing will take time. Be patient with yourself and with anyone you turn to for support and guidance. If you have not yet found a therapist you can trust or you do not know where to seek support, turn to the end of this book to find a list of resources to support your healing journey.

You might also choose to work through this book with a spouse or caring friend alongside. When choosing to share your experience with another person, it is wise to look for someone who is invested in listening to you nonjudgmentally and in understanding your unique life experiences. You may choose to read passages aloud that resonate with you, or you might write down your reflections and then read these aloud. If you do choose to share your experience, take your time to notice how it feels to be witnessed by another. I invite you to slow down enough so that you can sense and feel your body and your emotions. Remember, you get to choose whether, when, how much, and with whom you share the sacred truths of your inner world.