Treating Traumatic Loss - by Alyssa A Rheingold & Joah L Williams & Megan M Wallace & Jamison S Bottomley (Paperback)

About the Book

For therapists treating survivors of sudden, violent, or traumatic loss, this evidence-based professional manual provides a modular, transdiagnostic approach--Grief Recovery with Individualized Evidence-Based Formulation (GRIEF)--along with strategies to target common underlying symptoms of PTSD, depression, and prolonged grief disorder (PGD). With this book, therapists will find proven-effective interventions to improve treatment outcomes and help survivors move forward in their lives.

Book Synopsis

Help your clients on their grief journey with this comprehensive, transdiagnostic guide--created specifically for clinicians treating adult survivors of traumatic loss.

Although grief and feelings of loss after the death of a loved one are natural and universal experiences, sudden, violent, and traumatic loss puts survivors at increased risk for a range of mental health problems and greatly complicates the grieving process. The Grief Recovery with Individualized Evidence-Based Formulation (GRIEF) approach is designed specifically for treating individuals suffering from the grief that results from a traumatic death, and provides a transdiagnostic, modular, and comprehensive framework to target the common underlying symptoms of PTSD, depression, and prolonged grief disorder (PGD).

Treating Traumatic Loss starts with an introduction to traumatic loss and the GRIEF approach model, then guides you, step by step, through treatment planning--from conducting a thorough assessment of symptoms informed by a multicultural lens, to selecting modules for intervention. A chapter dedicated to each of eight modules provides recommendations on how to perform intervention techniques, and includes handouts and worksheets for use in your practice.

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), experiential, and narrative practices and strategies from both the trauma and grief fields are synthesized into one module-based approach that addresses the unique needs of your clients--providing a powerful, flexible, and individualized way to improve treatment outcomes.

Filled with the latest research and cutting-edge treatment options, this comprehensive guide will give you everything you need to help your clients heal from traumatic loss and move forward in their lives.

Review Quotes

"Treating Traumatic Loss provides a comprehensive integration of relevant theory, assessment, and evidence-informed clinical practices to support adults exposed to traumatic loss. With its assessment-driven, modularized, and flexible approach, this book serves as an invaluable resource to clinicians dedicated to addressing the wide-ranging mental health needs of those grappling with traumatic deaths."
--Julie Kaplow, PhD, executive director of the Trauma and Grief Center at the Meadows Institute, professor of psychiatry at Tulane, and author of Multidimensional Grief Therapy--Julie Kaplow, PhD

"Treating Traumatic Loss provides clinicians with an integrative, empirically informed approach to address the complexities and unique experiences of traumatically bereaved adults. The guide is written in a way that makes it easy for clinicians to use. This modular and flexible model, along with the clinician tips and handouts, is an excellent resource for all clinicians working with traumatically bereaved adults."
--Alison Salloum, PhD, LCSW, professor in the School of Social Work at the University of South Florida, and author of Grief and Trauma in Children--Alison Salloum, PhD, LCSW

"As leaders in the bereavement field, Rheingold and her colleagues have developed a highly useful, long-overdue, and much-needed traumatic loss treatment manual that will be invaluable for grief therapists looking to cultivate or strengthen their skills in treating traumatic death loss. Using an easy-to-follow format and numerous true-to-life narratives and clinical vignettes, this high-caliber resource should be a mandatory component of every graduate-level grief training program."
--Laurie Burke, PhD, clinical psychologist specializing in traumatic loss, and coeditor of The Restorative Nature of Ongoing Connections with the Deceased--Laurie Burke, PhD

"Right out of the gate, this clinician's resource focuses on APPROACH--that is, overcoming avoidance--as a key component in the GRIEF treatment strategy. Dealing with traumatic loss is difficult, and this guide provides an evidence-based pathway for the informed clinician to effectively help those seeking solace and recovery. The authors outline a science-based approach to treating traumatic grief in such a direct and clear way that effective implementation, even by those new to the area, is likely."
--Ron Acierno, PhD, Faillace Professor of Psychiatry and vice chair for Veterans Affairs at the University of Texas Health Sciences Center at Houston; and senior clinical research scientist at the Ralph H. Johnson Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Charleston, SC--Ron Acierno, PhD

"The authors synthesize a highly relevant, evidence-based intervention (GRIEF) for those distressed and disabled with trauma, grief, and depression after sudden or violent death. The modules for patterns of distress are clinically illustrated in a protocol that guides the timing and application of these modules in a relevant therapeutic structure for the clinician or counselor."
--Ted Rynearson, MD, emeritus clinical professor of psychiatry at the University of Washington--Ted Rynearson, MD

"The Grief Recovery with Individualized Evidence-Based Formulation (GRIEF) approach provides insightful guidelines for survivors of those who have died from traumatic circumstances. The authors focus on how violent, unnatural deaths create their own set of challenges not only for survivors but for the clinicians who strive arduously to offer help. They make clear that clinician self-care is another essential component of ensuring the delivery of effective bereavement care for survivors of traumatic deaths."
--Holly G. Prigerson, PhD, endowed professor of diagnostics at Weill Cornell Medicine, lead scientist on grief for DSM-5-TR, and director of the Cornell Center for Research on End-of-Life Care--Holly G. Prigerson, PhD

"This book is an incredible resource for providers working with adult survivors of traumatic death loss. The GRIEF model combines evidence-based strategies from psychotherapies for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and persistent grief into a comprehensive, eight-module package that can be tailored to the unique needs of each survivor. The authors provide guidance on treatment planning, as well as selection, sequencing, and implementation of practice elements. I highly recommend it."
--Joan M. Cook, PhD, professor at the Yale School of Medicine--Joan M. Cook, PhD

"This manual fills a critical gap in the field by offering clinicians a unique, compassionate, and non-stigmatizing approach to grief. Unlike other resources, this manual avoids pathologizing grief, instead focusing on understanding and supporting clients through their healing process. Its step-by-step, reader-friendly format is suitable for clinicians at all levels, providing practical tools for assessing and treating grief while promoting resilience."
--Angela Moreland, PhD, clinical psychologist, and expert in child and adult trauma and grief--Angela Moreland, PhD

About the Author

Alyssa A. Rheingold, PhD, is a licensed clinical psychologist, professor, and associate director of the National Crime Victims Research and Treatment Center at the Medical University of South Carolina. She is director of the Response, Recovery & Resilience division of the National Mass Violence Center providing support to communities impacted by mass violence. Rheingold has been working in the traumatic loss field for over two decades, and has numerous federally funded service and research grants supporting her work. She has published over one hundred peer-reviewed articles and book chapters in the areas of trauma, interpersonal violence, traumatic grief, death by homicide, and anxiety.

Joah L. Williams, PhD, is a licensed clinical psychologist, and associate professor in the department of psychology at The University of Memphis in Memphis, TN. He has published more than fifty peer-reviewed articles and book chapters related to the assessment, prevention, and treatment of trauma-related mental health problems; and received the Robert Magwood Jr., Outstanding Service to Crime Victims Award in 2015 in recognition of his work with victims of violence. He is also actively involved in clinical training, and regularly conducts trainings and workshops on clinical interventions for victims of violence and traumatic loss survivors.

Megan M. Wallace, LISW-CP, is a licensed independent social worker for the state of South Carolina. She is clinical assistant professor and director of clinical operations for the National Crime Victims Research and Treatment Center within the department of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the Medical University of South Carolina, and associate director for the Community Outreach Program-Esperanza. Wallace is trained in evidence-based treatment of trauma-related mental health issues, specifically focusing on child abuse and loss by homicide. She has expertise in traumatic loss, evidence-based trauma treatment approaches, telehealth service delivery, and community- and school-based mental health approaches.

Jamison S. Bottomley, PhD, is a licensed clinical psychologist, and research assistant professor at the National Crime Victims Research and Treatment Center within the department of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the Medical University of South Carolina. His research expertise includes the study of traumatic loss with an emphasis on bereavement following suicide and fatal opioid-related overdose. His program of research has been generously supported by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) and the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD).

Foreword writer Robert A. Neimeyer, PhD, is professor emeritus in the department of psychology at the University of Memphis. He maintains an active consulting practice, and directs the Portland Institute for Loss and Transition, which provides global online training in grief therapy.