Healing Trauma: Attachment, Mind, Body and Brain

by Daniel J. Siegel (Editor), Marion F. Solomon (Editor)

Born out of the excitement of a convergence of ideas and passions, this book provides a synthesis of the work of researchers, clinicians, and theoreticians who are leaders in the field of trauma, attachment, and psychotherapy. As we move into the third millennium, the field of mental health is in an exciting position to bring together diverse ideas from a range of disciplines that illuminate our understanding of human experience: neurobiology, developmental psychology, traumatology, and systems theory. The contributors emphasize the ways in which the social environment, including relationships of childhood, adulthood, and the treatment milieu change aspects of the structure of the brain and ultimately alter the mind.

Genres: Psychology, Self Help, Nonfiction, Mental Health, Counselling, Health, Social Work

384 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2003

About the author

Daniel J. Siegel, M.D., is an internationally acclaimed author, award-winning educator, and child psychiatrist. Dr. Siegel received his medical degree from Harvard University and completed his postgraduate medical education at UCLA with training in pediatrics and child, adolescent and adult psychiatry. He is currently a clinical professor of psychiatry at the UCLA School of Medicine, where he also serves as a co-investigator at the Center for Culture, Brain, and Development, and is a founding co-director of the Mindful Awareness Research Center. In addition, Dr. Siegel is the Executive Director of the Mindsight Institute.

Dr. Siegel has the unique ability to convey complicated scientific concepts in a concise and comprehensible way that all readers can enjoy. He has become known for his research in Interpersonal Neurobiology – an interdisciplinary view that creates a framework for the understanding of our subjective and interpersonal lives. In his most recent works, Dr. Siegel explores how mindfulness practices can aid the process of interpersonal and intrapersonal attunement, leading to personal growth and well-being.

Published author of several highly acclaimed works, Dr. Siegel’s books include the New York Times’ bestseller “Brainstorm”, along with "Mindsight," "The Developing Mind," "The Mindful Brain," "The Mindful Therapist," in addition to co-authoring "Parenting From the Inside Out," with Mary Hartzell and "The Whole-Brain Child," with Tina Bryson. He is also the Founding Editor of the Norton Professional Series on Interpersonal Neurobiology, which includes "Healing Trauma," "The Power of Emotion," and "Trauma and the Body." Dr. Siegel currently lives in Los Angeles with his wife.

For more information on Dr. Siegel's work, please visit DrDanSiegel.com.

Reviews

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book validates why i want to be a therapist...the human connection, be it a healthy and loving connection, rewires the brain and unblocks the mind from trauma! yeah science! yeah psychotherapy!

[Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good set of writings on trauma and attachment, by a bunch of big names in the field. They provide comprehensive introductions to the neuroscience, evolutionary and familial/generational development, maintaining mechanisms, pathological outcome, and relational approaches in treatment. So despite it being published almost a decade ago I think the content holds up, addressing issues at the core of attachment pathology, as well as focusing on those not typically written about - such as non-maltreating parents.

I have to say it took me a while to get into some of these chapters - namely the opener on interpersonal neurobiology - think I'm saturated with that topic lately! However, I particularly liked Fosha's chapter on Dyadic Regulation and Experiential Work. It is one of the clearest, humanistic theories and papers I've read on disorganized attachment (development and pathology) and the therapeutic approach to address this. She introduces Accelerated Experiential-Dynamic Psychotherapy (AEDP) which, at it's heart, has the three phase, psychobiological approach of attunement, disruption and repair for working through defenses and difficult emotions to transform individuals experience and world view based on unhelpful attachment patterns. The road Fosha describes to healing and 'freedom' of sorts is no different from other approaches to attachment - even neuroscience, but I like her language choices better. I can compare it to Nebrosky's language use in the next chapter, which suggests to me an approach of force against one's experience. Having a preference for body-psychotherapy and Buddhist approaches of non-violence/no force, I have a problem with this - and worry for the mentality it engenders in practitioners.

There's no rush to get to the information in the book, but it's certainly one people should get their hands, minds and hearts on at some point.

[Shelley Diamond · Rating 3 out of 5]

I usually like Marion Solomon's books so I was eager to read this one. It turned out to be a book that Solomon only edited; it is a collection of seven very long articles by others.

There were only two that struck me as quite good: Diana Fosha's Dyadic Regulation and Experiential Work with Emotion and Relatedness in Trauma and Disorganized Attachment (60 pages) and Robert Neborsky's Clinical Model for the Comprehensive Treatment of Trauma Using an Affect Experiencing-Attachment Theory Approach (40 pages).

Solomon herself writes a 20 page summary at the end which is pretty good too.

[Robert Bogue]

Edited volumes are quite literally a collection of semi-random chapters written by different authors. The results can be good, bad, or both. Healing Trauma: Attachment, Mind, Body, and Brain has both good and bad. It’s an attempt from 2003 to pull together the best of what we knew; in some ways, what we knew then is just as relevant today. In a few cases, the material and perspectives didn’t age well. Overall, it’s a good place to get perspective on a vexing problem.

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[Matthew Loftus · Rating 3 out of 5]

A set of essays about important topics in trauma. The early chapters are excessively detailed; this volume seems to be more oriented towards researchers than clinicians.

[Zahra Mahdieh · Rating 5 out of 5]

There she was, cast away, repugnant of a whore.
There was nothing left, not a ray of hope.
Forgotten, on the forbidden land.
Drinking her blood, and that's all she had.
Feeling that drop, that warmth on her hand.
Numbed otherwise, just wishing for the end.
But no ... , one other wish I have.
That gray of blade, shone into my eye.
Cutting deep, my black of a heart.
Hold me tight, as I say goodbye.
Closing my eyes, my face on your chest.
Colder and colder, I feel the warmth of your breath.
I smile, and your eyes so far away.
Be my love. But it's time to part ways.

Z.

[Simon · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book! Each chapter explores a different aspect of trauma and how it can be treated. The approach of integrating neuroscience and psychotherapy with a range of other disciplines provides a comprehensive understanding of trauma. This thereby leads to more effective treatments. Though aimed at mainly professionals, the book is accessible to a wide variety of readers.

[Mr V F W Soeterik]

A timely addition to my bookshelf. There aren't many Trauma events that turn into PTSD if it weren't for a history of an attachment disorder as a precursor. Being informed by the Polyvagal theory and Attachment disorders helps to round out the picture

[RG LK · Rating 4 out of 5]

useful book

[Tawana M · Rating 3 out of 5]

Can’t remember