Treating Trauma and Traumatic Grief in Children and Adolescents

This is the book that clinicians and educators concerned with child traumatic stress have been waiting for! Trauma-Focused Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy is the clear 'best-practice' treatment for traumatized children and their families. This book describes this evidence-based treatment approach in a pragmatic manner that every clinician will appreciate. I found the extensive use of case examples and the answers to common clinical questions to be particularly valuable. This book should be read by every therapist and every student working with traumatized children and their families."--Benjamin E. Saunders, PhD, National Crime Victims Research and Treatment Center, Medical University of South Carolina "For therapists treating children affected by trauma, this is a 'must-have' book. It is truly a clinician's guide, describing specific treatment strategies to accomplish the proven ingredients of trauma-focused therapy. It illustrates how theory-driven, research-supported interventions can be translated into real-life, complex case situations."--Lucy Berliner, MSW, Harborview Medical Center, University of Washington. This is one of the first books to present a systematic treatment approach, grounded in cognitive-behavioral therapy, for traumatized children and their families. Provided is a comprehensive framework for assessing posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety, and other symptoms; developing a flexible, individualized treatment plan; and working collaboratively with children and parents to build core skills in such areas as affect regulation and safety. Specific guidance is offered for responding to different types of traumatic events, with an entire section devoted to grief-focused components. Also addressed are ways to tailor treatment to children's varying developmental levels and cultural backgrounds. The authors' approach has been nationally recognized as an exemplary evidence-based program