I love to read and research. Here are my top picks for the latest interventions.
Resources for Therapists:
Badenoch’s writing is fascinating and clear. She weaves the latest neurobiology into practical applications for therapists. She describes in detail the latest research on the brain, attachment, mindfulness, and relationship in the clinical setting in a way that will enrich your understanding of effective therapeutic process.
Mindful Therapy: A Guide for Therapists and Helping Professionals by Thomas Bien, 2006
This book is an elegant and accessible explanation of mindfulness in psychotherapy. The book addresses both therapist development and therapeutic interventions. Dr. Bien outlines an approach to integrate mindfulness into your own self-care in order to be a more effective therapist. There are case examples and exercises to use with clients to help them integrate mindful practices into their lives.
Trauma and PTSD
Somatic Experiencing Website: More information and history including readings. http://www.traumahealing.com
Trauma through a Child’s Eyes by Peter A. Levine and Maggie Kline.
A book for parents, teachers, counselors, and others that outlines the causes and effects of trauma in childhood. This resource discusses learning implications for students, ways to work with children to help them reset an unregulated nervous system, and helpful ideas to help regulate your nervous system when you are working with traumatized kids.
The Trauma Spectrum: Hidden Wounds and Human Resiliency , 2005
by Robert Scaer. A neurologists view of the effects of trauma. Scaer describes how treatment of the trauma can prevent or support our healing from various trauma and stress-driven illnesses. Because of our inadequate understanding of the relationship of mind and body in processing these traumas, many of us suffer needlessly from our exposure to life’s traumas. Robert Scaer offers hope to those who wish to transform trauma and better understand their lives.
Attachment and Relationship Support
Hold Me Tight: Seven Conversations for a Lifetime of Love by Sue Johnson.
Clinical psychologist Sue Johnson here opens up her patented couples-therapy program, explaining the science behind the feelings that are frightening and overwhelming to couples seeking love, support, and companionship. She helps readers understand the needs of each person in a relationship and how to realize how your patterns are hurting your closeness.
The title pretty much says it all here. This book is easy to read. It helps us understand our own attachment style and that of our partner in order to know how to support safe attaching and reduce the need to fight.
Parenting
I’ve seen a lot of families have success with the Nurtured Heart Approach. See more on the website: http://difficultchild.com
Transforming the Difficult Child: The Nurtured Heart Approach by Howard Glasser and Jennifer Easley
Glasser and Easley offer a method that helps intense children stop feeding into the intensity they get from their out of control behavior and focuses on accentuating the positives while setting firm boundaries. It helps parents stop giving big energy payoffs for behaviors they don’t want to see anymore.