Beyond Trauma: Conversations on Traumatic Incident Reduction

Rating:
Summary: Excellent resource
Review: "Beyond Trauma" is a compilation of short essays about Traumatic Incident Reduction (TIR) as delivered by various professionals. It begins with an examination of trauma, the trauma incident network, and unblocking. This is followed by an excellent essay on the psychological foundations of TIR. Included in this chapter is an examination of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and why cognitive restructuring is required for successful treatment of PTSD.

After this foundational chapter the essays start examining particular types of trauma, how they function, how they are similar, how they are different, and how to work with them. First is an examination of the traumas of war, both as a civilian caught up in it and as a soldier. Then come essays on grief and loss, crime and punishment, terrorism, accident victims, accidental death, and various other type of emotional trauma.

The final portion of the book examines working with TIR and children, integrating TIR and Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy, using TIR in a psychotherapy practice, and integrating TIR with other disciplines.

If you are working with trauma or just want to understand TIR this is a good beginning book. It clearly delineates the basics of TIR as a desensitization procedure and its effectiveness as a true resolution to trauma related problems. "Beyond Trauma" is a recommended book for the professional or for the lay reader who wants to know about this technique before possibly seeking out a practitioner.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent resource
Review: "Beyond Trauma" is a compilation of short essays about Traumatic Incident Reduction (TIR) as delivered by various professionals. It begins with an examination of trauma, the trauma incident network, and unblocking. This is followed by an excellent essay on the psychological foundations of TIR. Included in this chapter is an examination of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and why cognitive restructuring is required for successful treatment of PTSD.

After this foundational chapter the essays start examining particular types of trauma, how they function, how they are similar, how they are different, and how to work with them. First is an examination of the traumas of war, both as a civilian caught up in it and as a soldier. Then come essays on grief and loss, crime and punishment, terrorism, accident victims, accidental death, and various other type of emotional trauma.

The final portion of the book examines working with TIR and children, integrating TIR and Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy, using TIR in a psychotherapy practice, and integrating TIR with other disciplines.

If you are working with trauma or just want to understand TIR this is a good beginning book. It clearly delineates the basics of TIR as a desensitization procedure and its effectiveness as a true resolution to trauma related problems. "Beyond Trauma" is a recommended book for the professional or for the lay reader who wants to know about this technique before possibly seeking out a practitioner.

Rating:
Summary: Interesting approach to PTSD and other disorders
Review: Beyond Trauma is a fascinating collection of essays, interviews, case studies, personal experiences, research, and resources for therapists and individuals seeking information about traumatic incident reduction (TIR), a person-centered therapy primarily used for patients with posttraumatic stress disorder. The authors of the various articles include the founders of TIR, therapists who use the treatment in their practices-with veterans, children, bereaved parents, and other groups-and patients who have been successfully treated with TIR. The majority of the book is devoted to the theory and experience of TIR therapy; readers hoping to find a "cookbook"-style how-to guide for TIR will be disappointed. However, the appendixes provide excellent FAQs, references, and resources for learning more about TIR in practice. Beyond Trauma is an excellent starting point for patients and therapists alike to discover TIR and begin applying its theories.

Rating:
Summary: A Method That Works
Review: Beyond Trauma: Conversations on Traumatic Incident Reduction by Victor Volkman describes TIR in a user friendly and informative format. The book gives numerous examples of how viewers (clients) recover from different types of trauma using TIR. This book is a must read for trauma survivors and for professionals seeking an effective method to facilitate trauma recovery.

Beth Maureen Gray, R.N., B.S.

Rating:
Summary: Beyond Trauma: Conversations on Traumatic Incident Reduction
Review: Beyond Trauma: Conversations on Traumatic Incident Reduction is a book describing the benefits and wide variety of uses of Traumatic Incident Reduction (TIR). TIR is an innovative therapy in which the client is required to review the traumatic incident in various ways until he or she completely resolves the incident or string of incidents. This therapy is meant as a complete resolution of the issue behind these traumatic events rather than a coping mechanism or a cathartic episode. In this way, once TIR therapy has been undertaken, the client will find complete relief from all trauma symptoms and effects. Moreover, TIR is designed for quick treatment.

In this book, various therapists describe the benefits and uses of this therapy in their practice. These descriptions include therapy use for everything from post-traumatic stress disorders and violent crime victimization through accident and grief trauma to childhood trauma and phobias.

Beyond Trauma: Conversations on Traumatic Incident Reduction describes in detail the potential uses of TIR in the treatment of various traumatic incidents. Each chapter is dedicated to a specific type of trauma for easy reference. Moreover, the book contains several appendixes filled with frequently asked questions as well as information on TIR training and how to locate TIR trained therapists. This book is meant to direct clients and therapists towards the benefits of TIR, TIR trained professionals, and training resources not to teach the techniques of TIR.


Rating:
Summary: An anthology of engaging essays by learned authors
Review: Compiled and edited by Victor R. Volkman, Beyond Trauma: Conversations On Traumatic Incident Reduction is an anthology of engaging essays by learned authors discussing Traumatic Incident Reduction -- a desensitization procedure developed by Frank A. Gerbode, M.D., Gerald French, and others, as a useful aid to help those suffering from trauma-related conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder and many other DSM-IV diagnoses. Straightforward dialogues concerning the treatment methodology, individuals it has helped, methods for incorporating Traumatic Incident Reduction into psychiatric practice, and more fill the pages of this superbly organized and presented survey. Beyond Trauma is a welcome and much appreciated contribution to professional and academic reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

Rating:
Summary: Dangerous when applied to all PTSD sufferers
Review: I am aware of patients suffering from severe PTSD who have become markedly worse when the therapist encouraged regression and/or full recovery of memories as a means of healing. TIR may work for some people. It may push others over the edge. No technique is capable of healing everyone with PTSD and no technique should be used which might increase suicidality or other serious symptoms.

Rating:
Summary: It works
Review: Review by Dr Bob Rich http://anxietyanddepression-help.com

`Traumatic Incident Reduction' is a technique developed by Dr Frank Gerbode in the 1980s. Volkman's book is intended to publicize the technique to sufferers and professional helpers alike, through `conversations' with qualified exponents of the technique, and with people who have been helped by it.

As he points out in the Introduction, the general perception is that trauma produces scarring for life, and sufferers can achieve no more than to learn to live with the results. As I know from my own work, this is simply untrue, and if Beyond Trauma does nothing beyond attacking this myth, then it will have been worthwhile.

The opening chapter is by Frank Gerbode, in which he writes, "Traumatic Incident Reduction (TIR) operates on the principle that a permanent resolution of a case requires... recovery of repressed memories, rather than mere catharsis or coping." This is because "...you can't stop doing something you don't know you are doing."

The second author in the collection, psychologist Dr Robert Moore, refers to TIR as "a regressive desensitization procedure for reducing or eliminating the negative residual impact of traumatic experience." This will immediately orient most people with psychological knowledge. `Desensitization' is getting rid of a fear by safe exposure. A `regressive' technique is one that goes back in time. And there you are.

Just having read this opening chapter told me that TIR works, because it is based on sound, scientifically validated principles. I use hypnotic regression combined with cognitive-behavioral therapy with trauma survivors. The style and activities may be different. The processes invoked are very similar.

Also, I am pleased that the cart is not put before the horse. All the research on the outcome of psychotherapy shows that the major part of what we do depends on forming a strong, positive, trusting relationship with the client, and an ability to mobilize the client's strengths and resources. Specific techniques are less important. TIR emphasizes being `client centered', and insists on the attitude that the client makes the choices. This is necessary for any successful therapeutic encounter.

After the Introduction comes an illuminating, and very moving chapter on the Vietnam experience. Anyone with no understanding of war MUST read this. Especially, since some of the horror is what presumably well-meaning professionals did to them in the name of therapy.

I was moved to tears by a wonderful tape transcript, recorded by Colonel Chris Christensen about several of his cases. I wish I'd met him...

Experimental studies supporting the efficacy of the approach are cited. TIR is shown to work at least as well as other ways of approaching trauma victims. Then there are a series of case presentations, by professionals working in a wide variety of settings.

Here is a quote from a client: `Now with the therapy and everything I worked through, it was gradual. I couldn't see beyond this wall. Then it got further where there was a wall in front of me. Then I got to the point where I could see over the wall, but I couldn't get there. Then I finally got over that and I'm trying to get on with my life. Basically I think if I wouldn't have had TIR, I wouldn't even be here. I'm serious... I knew what I was going to do -- nothing. I would get up every day and I would just wait until 11 PM [to go to bed] because I couldn't wait for my life to be over.'

Some of the `conversations' involve exponents of different approaches, some of whom also use TIR. This gives the book a depth and breadth I found very informative.

There are things that could be done to improve the book. One is to combine all the references as the end-at the moment, each author has a separate list, which can be hard to access later. "Now, which chapter was that book in?" Another minor point is the presence of repetition of content, perhaps inevitable in a collection from multiple authors. But, having read the book, I feel that I have already become better at working with distressed clients.

Rating:
Summary: Beyond Trauma: Conversations on Traumatic Incident Reduction
Review: This collection of stories about Traumatic Incident Reduction is valuable not only to professionals, but may help those suffering from past traumas better understand the healing process. As a School Psychologist, I was particularly interested in the chapter on children which not only followed personal recovery stories, but suggested coping skills for traumatized children so they can move into society and become productive stable adults.
Carolyn Harris, MS