Triumphing over Trauma

Pamela first recounts her emergence as a professional trauma therapist documenting the personal and political forces that shaped her path which converged to form a deeper understanding of trauma recovery and why people often have so much trouble rebuilding their lives after traumatic events. Using the Humpty Dumpty image she introduces the concept of brokenness (traumatic wounding) and raises the question of 'who can put Humpty together again'. Drawing on her own experiences as a...
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Pamela first recounts her emergence as a professional trauma therapist documenting the personal and political forces that shaped her path which converged to form a deeper understanding of trauma recovery and why people often have so much trouble rebuilding their lives after traumatic events. Using the Humpty Dumpty image she introduces the concept of brokenness (traumatic wounding) and raises the question of 'who can put Humpty together again'. Drawing on her own experiences as a trauma survivor and struggle to move beyond the trauma and its lasting impact, together with decades of working with survivors, Pamela identifies what she believes binds people to the traumatic events thus hindering their efforts to build rich and rewarding post-trauma lives. Pamela describes these as emotional or spiritual wounds which happen at, or shortly after the traumatic events, and are different to extreme threat or stress (traumatic stress), which, when unresolved results in Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. She then goes on to name and describe seven different forms of traumatic wounding linking her work to current research. With each descriptor she makes the distinction between 'normal reactions' to those linked to trauma. Part II of the book contains transcribed interviews between Pamela and former clients as they each recount their own 'Triumph Over Trauma'. The book is designed for general readership in the belief that what it offers may assist survivors, their families, and therapists to promote post trauma recovery. Pamela's narratives, woven into each chapter, provide the reader with insights into the rawness of the struggle, its often harsh and tragic realities, and most of all it is a testament of human courage and determination to build a life beyond trauma.