The Body Remembers Volume 2: Revolutionizing Trauma Treatment

by Babette Rothschild

Overview

Challenging the notion that clients with PTSD must revisit, review, and process their memories to recover from trauma.

The Body Remembers, Volume 2: Revolutionizing Trauma Treatment continues the discussion begun more than fifteen years ago with the publication of the best-selling and beloved The Body Remembers: The Psychophysiology of Trauma and Trauma Treatment.

This new book is grounded in the belief that the most important goal for any trauma treatment is to improve the quality of life of the client. Therefore, the first prerequisite is that the client be reliably stable and feel safe in his or her daily life as well as the therapy situation.

To accomplish this, Babette Rothschild empowers both therapists and clients by expanding trauma treatment options. For clients who prefer not to review memories, or are unable to do so safely, new and expanded strategies and principles for trauma recovery are presented. And for those who wish to avail themselves of more typical trauma memory work, tools to make trauma memory resolution even safer are included.

Being able to monitor and modulate a trauma client’s dysregulated nervous system is one of the practitioner’s best lines of defense against traumatic hyperarousal going amok—risking such consequences as dissociation and decompensation. Rothschild clarifies and simplifies autonomic nervous system (ANS) understanding and observation with her creation of an original full color table that distinguishes six levels of arousal. Included in this table (and the discussion that accompanies it) is a new and essential distinction between trauma-induced hypoarousal and the low arousal that is caused by lethargy or depression.

The full color ANS table is also available from W.W. Norton as a laminated desk reference and a wall poster suitable for framing so this valuable therapeutic tool will always be at hand.

Principles and theory come alive through multiple demonstration therapy transcripts that illustrate:

• Stabilizing a new client who consistently dissociates due to persistent trauma flashbacks
• Clarifying and keeping therapeutic contracts
  
• Identifying and implementing hidden somatic resources for stabilization
• Easing transition from Phase 1 to Phase 2 trauma treatment via trauma memory outlining
• Utilizing good memories and somatic markers as antidotes to traumatic memory

Combining an authoritative yet personal voice, Rothschild gives clinicians the space to recognize where they may have made mistakes—by sharing her own!—as well as a road map toward more effective practice in the future. This book is absolutely essential reading for anyone working with those who have experienced trauma.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780393712797
Publisher:	Norton, W. W. & Company, Inc.
Publication date:	06/20/2017
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	224
File size:	8 MB

About the Author

Babette Rothschild, MSW, LCSW is an internationally recognized PTSD specialist and best-selling author of seven books translated into eighteen languages, including her new offerings Help for the Helper Updated + Expanded and the 8 Keys to Safe Trauma Recovery Workbook. Babette is also the creator and Series Editor of W. W. Norton’s 8 Keys to Mental Health Series. She currently lives in Los Angeles, California.

Table of Contents

Introduction xiii

Preface: Research Bias and the Evidence Base 1

Part I Theory and Principles

1 Revolutionizing Trauma Treatment 9

Trauma Recovery vs. Trauma Memory Resolution 9

Implementing Janet's Phased Treatment 12

Working in Context of vs. Working on Trauma 17

Past vs. Now and Future 23

Making Meaning From Trauma 24

2 Precision ANS Regulation: What to Look For 29

Reviewing the ANS 32

Sextuple ANS Theory 37

Making Sense of Monitoring the ANS in Practice 49

3 Safety Requires All the Senses: Sensory Stabilization 53

Structure and Function of the Sensory Nervous System 55

Enabling Balance in the Sensory Nervous System 57

First Session Stabilization: Greg 60

As Promised 71

4 Revitalizing a Lost Art: Trauma Treatment Planning 74

A Historical Perspective 74

The Value of History Taking 76

What Are We Going to Make? 80

Why Now? 85

Spaghetti vs. Salad 93

Keeping the Contract: Una 96

Part II Practice: Applying Theory and Principles

5 Simple Resources Modulate and Even Meal Trauma 107

Wil Baumker's Magic Shop 108

Natural Resources 110

Swimming With Dolphins 114

Everyday Resources: Maryellen 115

6 Making the Most of Good Memories: Powerful Antidotes to Traumatic Memory 130

Traumatic vs. Nontraumatic Memories 131

Antidoting Somatic Markers 133

Enlivening Numbing to Feel Again: Eric 136

Epilogue: Life After Trauma 144

7 Pacing, Portioning, and Organizing 146

The Value of Baby Steps and Experimentation 147

Outlining: Easing Transition From Phase 1 to Phase 2 149

Phase 2 First Steps: Dylan 150

8 Adapting Mindfulness, MBSR, and Yoga for Those With PTSD 164

Experiencing MBSR 166

Preventing Potential Aversive Effects of Mindfulness Practices 169

Mindful Self-Care for the Professional 176

Appendix: Trauma Therapist Beware: Avoiding Common Hazards 179

Acknowledgments 187

References 189

Index 195

Editorial Reviews

"[E]xtremely useful in helping me to gain confidence in my verbal skills, enabling clients to self-regulate and to monitor my own ANS regulation. . . The masterpiece is the in-depth chapter on Precision ANS Regulation; comprising a review, theory, and practical tips for monitoring the ANS. . . [I] recommend this volume to new and experienced therapists alike."

Fulcrum Book Reviews

"The Body Remembers, Volume 2 broadens the options available to trauma therapists and challenges the therapist to see clinical symptoms as resources. The volume provides an accessible understanding of how therapists can leverage the resources of trauma survivors and use an awareness of the client's physiological state to choreograph the client's journey towards resilience and health."

Stephen W. Porges

"Once again, Babette Rothschild makes clear an understanding of the role of the body in healing trauma. There is a great value in how she presents simple tools for stabilization and safety, as well as appreciating the important therapeutic differences in working with hyper- and hypo-aroused states. She presents this material in a way that is accessible for the beginner but also adds to the knowledge base of the seasoned therapist."

Peter A. Levine

"[P]rovides a plethora of ways to look at and understand the lasting effects of trauma on the body and the provider’s role in creating a safe space for healing to take place."

Somatic Psychotherapy Today