Not Trauma Alone: Therapy for Child Abuse Survivors in Family and Social Context (Series in Trauma and Loss)

Rating:
Summary: A Must Read
Review: When Not Trauma Alone: Therapy for Child Abuse Survivors in Family and Social Context was first published, I quickly ordered it from my local bookstore. I had known Steve Gold as a supervisor, a dissertation committee member and a friend and I absolutely cherished him and his work. But the book sat on my shelf for over a year before I finally picked it up and read it from beginning to end. Maybe I thought I knew what Steve had to say. Indeed he was my clinical supervisor in a yearlong practicum with adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse and my professor in a couple of graduate school courses. Perhaps I was thinking that my clinical conceptualization and treatment of clients, not just trauma survivors, were so greatly affected by Steve's influence that I could indeed learn no more.

How wrong I was!!! Not Trauma Alone is one of the best books I ever read. It did not read as so many mental health treatment textbooks do. Steve's insight, compassion and humor really shine through and are truly inspirational. From the title of the chapters (e.g., Alone: Growing Up in an Ineffective Family) to the specific skills taught (e.g., self-sufficient problem resolution), this book is a must-read. My reactions to the content of the book, in particular the clinical vignettes, were vast. At some points, I laughed out loud, at other times, my heart felt heavy in sorrow. But most importantly, my reactions were, "Right on Steve!!!!" and "This is why I am in this profession" and these are the kinds of mental health practitioners I am proud to say I am a part of.

I encourage everyone I know in the mental health field (and a few psychologically-minded friends who aren't) to read this incredible piece.