Principles of Trauma Therapy
A Guide to Symptoms, Evaluation, and Treatment
3rd Edition
Published on 12. May 2025
Book
Paperback/Softback
400 pages
978-1-5443-3356-4 (ISBN)
Description
Bestselling text Principles of Trauma Therapy: A Guide to Symptoms, Evaluation, and Treatment, Third Edition covers the modern treatment of psychological trauma that is both comprehensive in scope yet highly practical in application.
Reviews / Votes
An eloquent, inspiring and classic text-now updated. Principles of Trauma Therapy is that rare book that has changed the field, helping bring trauma awareness into the mainstream and educating a generation of trauma therapists, researchers, and policy makers. It is eminently practical, with realistic guidance for day-to-day clinical work while embracing a wide range of theoretical orientations. Kudos to Briere and Scott for this gem of a book to help trauma survivors! -- Lisa Najavits, PhD Essential reading for clinicians assessing and treating traumatic stress. These master clinicians have made the complexity of traumatic stress accessible, and their approach is applicable to treating diverse clients. Their revised edition includes important and extensive updates, such as guidance for navigating clients' experiences of social injustice within the context of relational treatment, a new chapter on the neurobiology of posttraumatic stress, and an introduction to the new mindfulness based ReGAIN procedure for deescalating activated states. -- S. Megan Berthold, PhD, LCSW This book, Principles of Trauma Therapy: A Guide to Symptoms, Evaluation, and Treatment, has been a mainstay in clinical and more generic training courses in traumatic stress studies since its original publication. This third edition continues this tradition. It contains a great deal of clinical wisdom based both on the latest empirical findings as well as clinical experience and consensus. It recognizes expanded types of trauma and the complexity of consequences and incorporates the latest information on new areas of emphasis, including diversity and other contextual issues. The heart of the book, a detailed outline and description of the average treatment trajectory, is especially useful. An essential guide for all who work with the traumatized. Bravo to the authors! -- Christine A. Courtois, PhD, ABPP If I were to advise the young scholar on a source for the development of a foundation of knowledge in trauma therapy, I could ask them to read a list of 50+ worthy candidate tomes, each containing a piece of the puzzle, or, alternatively, I could point them to this one text. The astounding breadth, complexity, and practicality of this work, combined with the compassion and openness of its authors, radiates from every page. This book should be in the library of every trauma expert. -- Constance Dalenberg, Ph.D. Great overview for counseling students in training. -- Heather Uphold Great overview for counseling students in training. -- Heather UpholdMore details
Edition
3rd Revised edition
Language
English
Place of publication
Thousand Oaks
United States
Target group
College/higher education
Edition type
Revised edition
Dimensions
Height: 156 mm
Width: 230 mm
Thickness: 17 mm
Weight
452 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-5443-3356-4 (9781544333564)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Previous edition
John N. Briere | Catherine Scott
Principles of Trauma Therapy
A Guide to Symptoms, Evaluation, and Treatment ( DSM-5 Update)
Book
05/2014
2nd Edition
SAGE Publications Inc
€140.50
Article exhausted; check for reprint
Persons
John N. Briere, PhD is Professor Emeritus of Psychiatry and the Behavioral Sciences at the Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, and is past director of the Psychological Trauma Program at Los Angeles County + USC Medical Center. A past president of the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies (ISTSS), he is recipient of the Award for Outstanding Contributions to the Science of Trauma Psychology from the American Psychological Association, the Robert S. Laufer Memorial Award for Scientific Achievement from ISTSS, the Presidential Award for Contribution to Methods from the Association for Scientific Advancement in Psychological Injury and Law, and the William N. Friedrich Lecturer: Outstanding Contribution to the Field of Child Psychology from the Mayo Clinic. A long-term student of Buddhist psychology, he has been Remote Faculty at the Institute for Meditation and Psychotherapy since 2013.
Catherine Scott, MD, is Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and the Behavioral Sciences at the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California. Her academic background includes Harvard College, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, and psychiatric residency training at both Cornell and USC. Previously, Dr. Scott served as Medical Director of the Psychological Trauma Program at Los Angeles County + USC Medical Center, and the Associate Medical Director of the Psychiatric Emergency Service at Los Angeles County + USC Medical Center. In that capacity she taught and supervised resident physicians and medical students in the assessment and treatment of trauma-related disorders arising from sexual and physical violence, torture, child abuse, and other forms of interpersonal violence. She continues to practice as well as teach residents at USC, and serves as an expert witness in the areas of trauma and posttraumatic stress. Her clinical and research interests include women's issues, treatment of adult survivors of child abuse, human rights, and the remediation of sexual violence and its effects.
Catherine Scott, MD, is Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and the Behavioral Sciences at the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California. Her academic background includes Harvard College, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, and psychiatric residency training at both Cornell and USC. Previously, Dr. Scott served as Medical Director of the Psychological Trauma Program at Los Angeles County + USC Medical Center, and the Associate Medical Director of the Psychiatric Emergency Service at Los Angeles County + USC Medical Center. In that capacity she taught and supervised resident physicians and medical students in the assessment and treatment of trauma-related disorders arising from sexual and physical violence, torture, child abuse, and other forms of interpersonal violence. She continues to practice as well as teach residents at USC, and serves as an expert witness in the areas of trauma and posttraumatic stress. Her clinical and research interests include women's issues, treatment of adult survivors of child abuse, human rights, and the remediation of sexual violence and its effects.
Content
Acknowledgments
Introduction to the Third Edition
Part I: Trauma, Effects, and Assessment
1. What Is Trauma?
Single Versus Multiple Traumatic Events In DSM-5
Major Types of Trauma
2. The Psychological Effects of Trauma (John Briere, Catherine Scott, & Janelle Jones)
What Makes Trauma Responses More Likely, More Intense, or More Complicated?
Types Of Posttraumatic Response
Trauma- and Stressor-related Disorders
Disorders and Symptoms Typically Related to Trauma Exposure
Generic Symptoms Sometimes Associated with Trauma Exposure
Trauma Syndromes in Non-Western Cultures
Complex Posttraumatic Presentations
3. Assessing Trauma and Posttraumatic Outcomes (John Briere, Erin Eadie, & Catherine Scott)
Assessment In The Clinical Interview
Assessing the Sociocultural Environment
Assessing Current and Past Exposure to Discrimination and Maltreatment (SDM)
Evaluating the Effects of Trauma
Structured Interviews
Psychological Tests
Trauma-Specific Tests
Recommendations for Assessment through Telehealth Platforms
Part II: Clinical Interventions
4. Central Issues in Trauma Treatment
A Basic Philosophy of Trauma, Recovery, and Growth
Central Treatment Principles
5. Psychoeducation
Handouts
Books
Verbal Information During Therapy
General Focus
Constraints
6. Distress Reduction and Emotional Regulation Training
Dealing with Acute Intrusion
Intervening in Chronic Emotional Dysregulation
Meditation and Yoga
7. Cognitive Interventions
Cognitive processing
Developing a Coherent Narrative
Cognitive Changes Arising from Non-overwhelming Emotional Activation
Cognitive Interventions and Insight
Addressing the Cognitive Impacts of Social Maltreatment
8. Trigger Management
Steps of Trigger Management
Intervening in Triggers and Triggered States
Intervening in DRBs
9. Emotional Processing
Reexperiencing as Trauma Processing
The Components of Trauma Processing
Written Homework
Written Exposure Therapy (WET)
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR; Shapiro, 2018)
The Therapeutic Window
Emotional Processing and Substance Use
Sequence and Session-Level Structure of Memory Processing
10. Increasing Identity and Relational Functioning
Identity Problems
Relational Disturbance
11. Mindfulness in Trauma Treatment
What Is Mindfulness?
Research
The Mindful Therapist
12. Treating the Effects of Acute Trauma (Sarah Stoycos, Heidi Ardern, John Briere, & Catherine Scott)
Research on Acute Traumatic Stress
Intervening in Acute Posttraumatic Stress: An Overview
Central Components of Treatment for Acute Trauma
Special Issue: Trauma Work in Acute Medical Contexts
13. Remote Treatment of Trauma: Teletherapy Principles
Acceptable Teletherapy Platforms
Teletherapy Guidance for Major Professional Groups
Articles and Guides on Teletherapy Practice
Teletherapy Principles
Part III: Psychobiology and Psychopharmacology of Trauma
14. Psychobiology of Posttraumatic Stress (Catherine Scott, John Briere, & Janelle Jones)
The Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) Axis and the Adrenergic System
The Endocannabinoid (eCB) System
Other Biological Correlates of PTSD
Findings From Neuroimaging Studies
Integrating Biological Models with Psychological Trauma Theory
15. Psychopharmacology of Trauma (Catherine Scott, Janelle Jones, & John Briere)
Psychotherapy and Psychopharmacology
Medications for PTSD
Special Topic: Repurposed Drugs and Drug-assisted Psychotherapy
16. Conclusions
Appendix 1: Trauma Exposure Review (TER)
Appendix 2: Social Discrimination and Maltreatment Scale, Short Form (SDMS-SF)
Appendix 3: Mindfulness-based Breath Training (MBBT) Handout
Appendix 4: A Brief Urge/Emotion Surfing Exercise
Appendix 5: ReGAIN handout
References
Index
About the Authors
Introduction to the Third Edition
Part I: Trauma, Effects, and Assessment
1. What Is Trauma?
Single Versus Multiple Traumatic Events In DSM-5
Major Types of Trauma
2. The Psychological Effects of Trauma (John Briere, Catherine Scott, & Janelle Jones)
What Makes Trauma Responses More Likely, More Intense, or More Complicated?
Types Of Posttraumatic Response
Trauma- and Stressor-related Disorders
Disorders and Symptoms Typically Related to Trauma Exposure
Generic Symptoms Sometimes Associated with Trauma Exposure
Trauma Syndromes in Non-Western Cultures
Complex Posttraumatic Presentations
3. Assessing Trauma and Posttraumatic Outcomes (John Briere, Erin Eadie, & Catherine Scott)
Assessment In The Clinical Interview
Assessing the Sociocultural Environment
Assessing Current and Past Exposure to Discrimination and Maltreatment (SDM)
Evaluating the Effects of Trauma
Structured Interviews
Psychological Tests
Trauma-Specific Tests
Recommendations for Assessment through Telehealth Platforms
Part II: Clinical Interventions
4. Central Issues in Trauma Treatment
A Basic Philosophy of Trauma, Recovery, and Growth
Central Treatment Principles
5. Psychoeducation
Handouts
Books
Verbal Information During Therapy
General Focus
Constraints
6. Distress Reduction and Emotional Regulation Training
Dealing with Acute Intrusion
Intervening in Chronic Emotional Dysregulation
Meditation and Yoga
7. Cognitive Interventions
Cognitive processing
Developing a Coherent Narrative
Cognitive Changes Arising from Non-overwhelming Emotional Activation
Cognitive Interventions and Insight
Addressing the Cognitive Impacts of Social Maltreatment
8. Trigger Management
Steps of Trigger Management
Intervening in Triggers and Triggered States
Intervening in DRBs
9. Emotional Processing
Reexperiencing as Trauma Processing
The Components of Trauma Processing
Written Homework
Written Exposure Therapy (WET)
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR; Shapiro, 2018)
The Therapeutic Window
Emotional Processing and Substance Use
Sequence and Session-Level Structure of Memory Processing
10. Increasing Identity and Relational Functioning
Identity Problems
Relational Disturbance
11. Mindfulness in Trauma Treatment
What Is Mindfulness?
Research
The Mindful Therapist
12. Treating the Effects of Acute Trauma (Sarah Stoycos, Heidi Ardern, John Briere, & Catherine Scott)
Research on Acute Traumatic Stress
Intervening in Acute Posttraumatic Stress: An Overview
Central Components of Treatment for Acute Trauma
Special Issue: Trauma Work in Acute Medical Contexts
13. Remote Treatment of Trauma: Teletherapy Principles
Acceptable Teletherapy Platforms
Teletherapy Guidance for Major Professional Groups
Articles and Guides on Teletherapy Practice
Teletherapy Principles
Part III: Psychobiology and Psychopharmacology of Trauma
14. Psychobiology of Posttraumatic Stress (Catherine Scott, John Briere, & Janelle Jones)
The Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) Axis and the Adrenergic System
The Endocannabinoid (eCB) System
Other Biological Correlates of PTSD
Findings From Neuroimaging Studies
Integrating Biological Models with Psychological Trauma Theory
15. Psychopharmacology of Trauma (Catherine Scott, Janelle Jones, & John Briere)
Psychotherapy and Psychopharmacology
Medications for PTSD
Special Topic: Repurposed Drugs and Drug-assisted Psychotherapy
16. Conclusions
Appendix 1: Trauma Exposure Review (TER)
Appendix 2: Social Discrimination and Maltreatment Scale, Short Form (SDMS-SF)
Appendix 3: Mindfulness-based Breath Training (MBBT) Handout
Appendix 4: A Brief Urge/Emotion Surfing Exercise
Appendix 5: ReGAIN handout
References
Index
About the Authors