Treating Traumatic Stress in Adults: The Practitioner’s Expressive Writing Workbook

161 Pages·2015·1.05 MB·English

by  Stephanie Field

Treating Traumatic Stress in Adults
Treating Traumatic Stress in Adults is a resource for therapists of all dis-
ciplines for use in the treatment of adults suffering from post-traumatic
stress. By reading this unique synthesis of information on the most current
trauma treatments and expressive writing exercises, practitioners will gain
an integrative and practical set of tools for treating post-traumatic stress.
Also included are numerous diverse case vignettes, exercises for building
trust in the patient/client relationship, and sections dedicated to exploring
the client’s thought patterns and emotions to provide an opportunity for
exposure, healing, and restructuring maladaptive beliefs.
Stephanie Field, PsyD, is a licensed clinical psychologist at the Counseling
and Psychological Services department at the University of Hartford and
sits on the Board of Directors for the Connecticut Psychological Associa-
tion. She has worked primarily with adults and young adults, specializing
in substance use disorders, traumatic stress, and expressive writing therapy.
Kathy McCloskey, PhD, PsyD, ABPP-CL, is a research psychologist, a
licensed clinical psychologist, a Diplomate of the American Board of Profes-
sional Psychology, and a professor at the University of Hartford Graduate
Institute of Professional Psychology in Hartford, CT. She is the co-author of
two books (Backs Against the Wall: Battered Women’s Resistance Strategies
and A Sexuality and Gender Diversity Training Program), and has published
over 70 peer-reviewed scholarly papers over her 30-plus year professional
career. Her specialties include feminist psychology, multicultural and diver-
sity issues, intimate partner violence, trauma, forensic populations, and the
training of doctoral-level clinical psychologists.
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Treating Traumatic Stress
in Adults
The Practitioner’s Expressive Writing
Workbook
Stephanie Field and Kathy McCloskey
First published 2016
by Routledge
711 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017
and by Routledge
2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon, OX14 4RN
Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business
© 2016 Taylor & Francis
The right of Stephanie Field and Kathy McCloskey to be identified as authors of this work
has been asserted by them in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs
and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any
form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented,
including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system,
without permission in writing from the publishers.
Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks,
and are used only for identification and explanation without intent to infringe.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Field, Stephanie Leigh.
Treating traumatic stress in adults: the practitioner’s expressive writing workbook /
Stephanie Field and Kathy McCloskey.
pages cm
Includes bibliographical references and index.
1. Post-traumatic stress disorder—Treatment. 2. Psychic trauma—Treatment.
I. McCloskey, Kathy A. II. Title.
RC552.P67F53 2015
616.85′21—dc23
2015018305
ISBN: 978-1-138-89075-6 (hbk)
ISBN: 978-1-138-89076-3 (pbk)
ISBN: 978-1-315-71007-5 (ebk)
Typeset in Sabon
by codeMantra
On that glad night
in secret, for no one saw me,
nor did I look at anything
with no other light or guide
than the one that burned in my heart.
—St. John of the Cross, “The Dark Night”
To the patient souls whose secrets are unwritten and
unspoken. It is for those looking for their light at the edge of
darkness to illuminate that which is hidden from others and
most importantly from themselves.
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Contents
PART I
Introduction: Integrating Expressive Writing Into
Trauma-Related Treatment Approaches 1
Trauma and Its Effects 3
Implications for Treatment 10
PART II
Current Treatments for Trauma 13
Discussion of a Multidimensional Model 23
Future Treatment: The Case for Including Expressive Writing 25
Expressive Writing as a Therapy Technique 31
Conclusion 39
PART III
Expressive Writing Workbook 43
General Writing Guidelines 43
Structuring Client Writing Activities during Session 44
PART III-I
Beginning Exercises 47
Section 1: Lists and Clusters 47
Section 2: Sentence Stems 56
viii Contents
Section 3: Acrostics and Poems 66
Section 4: Five-Minute “Sprints” 73
PART III-II
Intermediate Exercises 78
Section 1: Letters 78
Section 2: Obituaries and Eulogies 81
Section 3: Character Sketches 85
Section 4: Dialogues 88
PART III-III
Advanced Exercises 91
Section 1: Narratives 91
Section 2: Essays and Compositions 96
PART III-IV
Free-Writing Exercises 106
Exercise 1: Semiautomatic Writing 106
Exercise 2: Into the Stream 107
PART III-V
Activity-Based Exercises 108
Section 1: Relaxation Exercises 108
Section 2: Guided Imagery 110
Section 3: Multimedia Activities 116
PART III-VI
Outcome Measures 121
Rationale 121
Screen for Post-traumatic Stress Symptoms 121
Contents ix
The Revised Helping Alliance Questionnaire (HAq-II) 121
Alternate Measures for the Assessment of Trauma Symptoms 122
Process 126
Appendix A: SPTSS 127
Appendix B: The Revised Helping Alliance Questionnaire (HAq-II) 129
References 133
Index 143