The impact of trauma can be both destructive and transformative. This book presents not only a range of theoretical frameworks through which different trauma can be understood, from the effects of childhood abuse to those of war and catastrophes, but also gives readers insights into how trauma presents itself in the consulting room.
"This book provides an excellent overview of current psychoanalytic explorations of the various forms of trauma. It emphasizes that when confronted with the traumatic effects of external destructive events, we must never lose sight of the multiple intrapsychic meaning of traumatic experience. Contributors provide us with new knowledge, and with their extensive clinical material they deepen our insights for treatment. The book helps the psychoanalytic clinician bridge the gap between the theoretical framework of trauma and clinical practice." --Werner Bohleber, Training and Supervising Analyst, German Psychoanalytical Association
"This collection of?essays on trauma, broadly and deeply conceived, is a very welcome addition to trauma studies. The types of trauma being written about - to body, to mind, to infant, to social group - suggest how wide we must set our lens if we are to say something genuinely crucial and helpful to those of us who see trauma in the consulting room. Most importantly, this book exposes the wide range of theories and practices in which trauma work is being done. This marks a very significant shift in psychoanalytic theory and practice. Trauma work can be undertaken with care, with precision and with power, across different theoretical traditions. This is a unifying force in psychoanalysis, and I might say, is the deep message of this collection." --Adrienne Harris, New York University
"For all who are interested in learning from different clinical and theoretical perspectives, this book shows a vast array of well-regarded psychoanalysts' experience in dealing with Trauma - 'a wound that alters development, disrupts time, obstructs symbolization', as stated by M. Murphy, one of the book's editors. It's really a compilation of a comprehensive psychoanalytic approach to trauma nowadays. I felt so enriched by this truly original and important work and would highly recommend it!" --Sergio Nick, Adult, Child and Adolescent Psychoanalyst, Brazilian Psychoanalytic Society, Rio de Janeiro, and Vice President of the International Psychoanalytical Association
