Trauma and the Therapist: Countertransference and Vicarious Traumatization in Psychotherapy with Incest Survivors

by Laurie Anne Pearlman and Karen W. Saakvitne

Book Overview

This book explores the role and experience of the therapist in the therapeutic relationship by examining countertransference (the therapist's response to the client) and vicarious traumatization (the... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0393701832
• Release Date: June 1995
• Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
• Length: 474 Pages
• Weight: 2.00 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.2" x 1.0" x 6.2"

Customer Reviews

One of the most important books I ever read as a therapist

If you are working with survivors, this is a "must have" part of your library. TRAUMA AND THE THERAPIST not only has a clear and compelling theoretical basis, but it is uniquely helpful in clarifying both the universal and idiosyncratic nature of our reactions to survivor clients. I read it at a time of major crisis for myself in my work [and in my workplace] and it helped me understand what was going on in a way that was immediately useful, helped end my confusion and personal agony, and aided me in finding my way back to the joy of practice with this challenging population.

Praises for 'Trauma and the Therapist'

This is a wonderfully touching book, I could barely stand to put down. It is the finest book I have ever read on the therautic process of treating trauma victims and the effects of trauma experienced by the therapist. The depth of information regarding transference and countertransference and the exploration of what a therapist truely goes thru is simply to powerful to put into words. I have never read a book which deals with this subject from the therapists viewpoint, while not completely ignoring the client side either. But make no mistake, this is a book for understanding what therapists experience and for any therapist, graduate student, psychology instructor or interested lay person, this book is simply superb. My hats off to the authors who have truly done their profession a valuable service by making this information available - I found this book, hard and emotional to read and I am not a therapist, although I hope to be someday. I have a far greater understanding of the love and strength of character needed to specialize in treating victims of abuse so horrific, the authors made a point of deliberately leaving out extremely disturbing details of the story relayed in their book. Had they now chosen to do this, I venture to say very few people could tolerate the impact of these horrors. Even so, enough was left in to be seriously affected by the book. Should be required reading for every graduate program in the country. Heart Renching, Enlightening, Fascinating, and Painful...simply a marvelously written book - the authors should be very proud!

A fantastic resource for training therapists

I have used this book in teaching a graduate course in trauma. Most students found it to be an invaluable resource. The clinical examples provide readers with critical information for consideration. It highlights in a highly readable fashion the complexities, pain and vast rewards of working with trauma survivors.

Best book I've read on working with abused people !

As a physician with a psychology background, working with many abused women in a general practice setting, I found the experience, wisdom, and insight presented in this book to be extremely practical and useful. It is an in depth discussion of the deeper issues of therapy and recovery related to sexually abused people. I found the early theoretical-base explanation somewhat unuseful. But the discussions with regard to transference and counter-transference were wonderful. It is marvelous to read such a well thought out collection of experience. This book is slow reading for me, given the time needed to process what is being said, but it could be read over and over again to glean deeper meaning. The focus on spirituality is somewhat shallow in my opinion. They explain it to be one of their focuses, but they never expound on it to deeply. Regardless, this book is a must read if you work with abused people. Our clients will all be better served in their recovery's if we can all better master the sensitivities and concepts presented in this book.