Synopses & Reviews
Review
"A remarkably thorough book. Trauma systems therapy (TST) provides a theoretical rationale for integrating various systems and providing case management and advocacy services when needed. The treatment model covers a wide therapeutic scope: from primary safety issues to innovative ideas for working with highly traumatized children. The authors clearly demonstrate their in-depth understanding of the community mental health setting and the types of barriers clinicians face. Presenting a wealth of information on how to implement the model, this book is an excellent training tool for graduate students, interns, and seasoned clinicians."--Lisa Amaya-Jackson, MD, MPH UCLA-Duke National Center for Child Traumatic Stress
"I am quite pleased to see the publication of this book. The trauma systems therapy model fits very closely with how we at the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors (NASMHPD) believe traumatized children can and should be treated by providers of mental health services. Glenn Saxe and his colleagues have translated complicated concepts into a brilliant, user-friendly approach that is understandable to clinicians and applicable in most systems. This important work should have a positive impact on the lives of thousands of children and families."--Kevin Ann Huckshorn, RN, MSN, National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors
"This book is an exciting addition to the field of child and adolescent trauma treatment. The well-organized volume introduces the reader to trauma systems therapy (TST) in an engaging, readable format. Informed by recent research on the impact of trauma on the developing brain, TST offers a concise, structured assessment and intervention plan. What is unique about this approach is that the treatment is focused not only on the child, but also on the systems that support the child. The link between research, theory, and front-line clinical practice is clear and direct. This text will be invaluable to clinicians in the field and to students learning about trauma treatment and child and adolescent therapy."--Susan Hansen, LCSWR, RPTS, Ulster County Mental Health Department, Kingston, New York
"First and foremost a pragmatic manual, Collaborative Treatment of Traumatized Children and Teens provides an organizing paradigm and practical tools to address the pain and family chaos of child abuse and domestic and community violence. Written for all members of the therapeutic team, it integrates the emerging neuroscience of stress and trauma together with a wealth of clinical experience. Recommended for all disciplines, this intervention draws on the strengths, synergy, and support of a team approach to the complexities of working with traumatized children and their families."--Frank W. Putnam, MD, Cincinnati Childrens Medical Center
"This impressive work, representing a collaboration of child psychiatry and psychology, exemplifies the next generation of treatment manuals. The authors' approach goes beyond a narrow focus on psychopathology to encompass the social, interpersonal, and environmental contexts in which it occurs. The book incorporates the latest thinking on everything from the neurobiological effects of trauma to the disorganized social systems that may exacerbate these effects. This clearly outlined, step-by-step treatment approach will be invaluable for all clinicians dealing with trauma in the difficult social contexts where it most often occurs. Every child clinician will want to be familiar with this approach."--David H. Barlow, PhD, Boston University
"Trauma Systems Therapy provides an elegant way to systematize intervention planning for complex trauma cases, whose multiplicity of problems can often overwhelm the clinician's ability to think clearly and set priorities. Anyone working with families with difficult, unstable lives will appreciate the lucid, clear approach contained in this valuable manual. The curricula of all social work and clinical psychology training programs should include trauma systems therapy."--Robert Abramovitz, MD, Jewish Board of Family and Children's Services, New York, New York
"This is an outstanding text that provides, for the first time, an integrative model of mental health care for children and adolescents exposed to traumatic life events, abuse, and community violence."--Terence M. Keane, PhD, National Center for PTSD, VA Boston Healthcare System and Boston University
Review
"The authors adopt a broad definition of trauma, including issues such as ongoing stress, poverty, family and community violence, and parental mental illness and substance misuse. This inclusivity makes the book realistic and relevant to a wide range of child and adolescent groups....A valuable resource that strikes the balance well between just the right amount of jargon-free theory and maintaining its focus on practical issues. The book is friendly and easy to read....Here is a book that offers a model that moves theory to practice in order to help all of us who endeavour to treat, support, and care for traumatised children and adolescents."--Counselling Children and Young People
Review
"Saxe and colleagues have chosen appropriate case studies, which illustrate the complex nature of trauma and its multiple effects on children and families from diverse backgrounds....The authors of this text have done well in bridging a gap between theory and practice, while providing an easy-to-read text, which serves as a guidebook for effective treatment of traumatic stress in children and teens."--Family Journal
Review
"The book is clearly written and with multiple icon keys and case studies so that it takes the form of a well-developed treatment manual....This is an excellent volume, particularly for the front-line provider interested in a manualized hands-on introduction to interventions with traumatized children, teens, and their families."--Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine
Review
"An insightful and organized guide to the treatment of childhood trauma and can be used by professionals in a myriad of settings and at any stage in their professional development....The authors provide helpful advice on the treatment of childhood traumatic stress that can be used by clinicians, teachers, social service workers, lawyers, administrators, policy makers, students, parents, as well as teenagers who have experienced trauma. This tool helps guide individuals in the treatment of children as well as in the coordination of services under a financially constrained system of care.... The book is effectively written in a friendly, interactive, and readable style aimed at a broader audience....Saxe, Ellis, and Kaplow have spent almost a decade developing this exemplary tool for those involved in the treatment of and advocacy for children suffering from traumatic stress. This book can be an invaluable guide to people in the beginning of their careers as well as to experts in the field."--Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
Review
"This is a very important book for anyone working with abused and neglected children and their care system....To assist the reader, not only is the book laid out carefully, it also contains copious tables exemplifying assessments and examples of questions to assess various elements of their treatment....It addresses an underserved population, often with vexing problems in great need. Saxe, Ellis, and Kaplow have done a salutary job detailing their treatment paradigm and organizing it in a highly readable, comprehensive, and thorough manner. Their many years of focused work had enabled them to take this challenging issue and present it with clarity, organization and detail. Their presentation is highly effective. Any social service organization and all psychologists, social workers, psychiatric nurses, and psychiatrists working with traumatized and especially urban traumatized children will find this book very valuable....Any graduate psychology program that seeks to work with underserved, urban or other challenging populations should give this book serious consideration as an addition to the course syllabus."--Child and Family Behavior Therapy
Review
"An excellent resource for therapists who work with the children and families served by public mental health and child welfare systems. This is a practical treatment manual that incorporates all of the major techniques or practice elements used in proven trauma treatments....Saxe and colleagues have organized their book to be easily accessible for busy clinicians and other mental health workers who may find it difficult to tackle denser textbooks....I really like this book. I recommend it highly for clinicians working in children's mental health and for students in this field. In fact, I have been trying to find a way to buy copies for all of our state's contracted provider agencies, because I think they all could improve their practice by using at least some aspects of this approach. Although the book focuses on intensive outpatient treatment settings, the approach clearly could be applied in many of the other settings that make up our array of services, such as therapeutic group home or foster home programs."--PsycCRITIQUES (on the first edition)
Review
"The second edition of this important book reflects the essence of what it takes to provide excellent trauma treatment. Everything in this volume makes complete sense, especially with regard to understanding and assessing the traumatized child's survival-in-the-moment states. Recommendations for planning treatment and integrating services are clear and concise. Readers will find this a valuable resource for developing comprehensive services for children and families exposed to traumatic life events."--Anthony P. Mannarino, PhD, Department of Psychiatry, Allegheny General Hospital and Drexel University College of Medicine
Review
"A marvelous, practical, integrative guide for all those who work to help traumatized kids. Based on a thorough understanding of the underlying biological, social, and attachment issues, this book confronts the realities of children's and families' lives and the awesome obstacles that providers face. TST offers a comprehensive way to deliver effective services and reorganize often-broken systems of care. This approach not only will facilitate healing, but also will help prevent practitioner burnout and the wasteful use of resources. I love the energy behind this work!"--Bessel A. van der Kolk, MD, Medical Director, The Trauma Center at Justice Resource Institute; Professor of Psychiatry, Boston University School of Medicine
"The second edition of this important book reflects the essence of what it takes to provide excellent trauma treatment. Everything in this volume makes complete sense, especially with regard to understanding and assessing the traumatized child's survival-in-the-moment states. Recommendations for planning treatment and integrating services are clear and concise. Readers will find this a valuable resource for developing comprehensive services for children and families exposed to traumatic life events."--Anthony P. Mannarino, PhD, Department of Psychiatry, Allegheny General Hospital and Drexel University College of Medicine
"Building on the strengths of their first edition, the authors have incorporated innovations from successful adopters of TST. This treatment model tackles multiple real-world challenges to thoroughly assess traumatized children and their families and social environments. Interventions targeting both the impact of trauma and the barriers to care in the environment take into consideration key principles of neurobiology, child development, and family systems, as well as the evidence base for treating child traumatic stress. The book includes a full set of therapeutic activities and reproducible assessment tools and worksheets. The new chapter on organizational planning and implementation facilitates adoption of this unique model of integrated care."--Lisa Amaya-Jackson, MD, MPH, UCLA-Duke National Center for Child Traumatic Stress, Duke University School of Medicine
Review
"The authors provide helpful advice on the treatment of childhood traumatic stress that can be used by clinicians, teachers, social service workers, lawyers, administrators, policy makers....Helps guide individuals in the treatment of children as well as in the coordination of services under a financially constrained system of care."--Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (on the first edition)
Review
“I recommend this book, as it provides the basic elements and components of the TST approach in a clear and integrated way and, as a textbook or manual, it is easy to read and follow."--
Journal of Children's and Young People's Nursing (on the first edition)
Review
“A valuable resource that strikes the balance well between just the right amount of jargon-free theory and maintaining its focus on practical issues. The book is friendly and easy to read....Here is a book that offers a model that moves theory to practice in order to help all of us who endeavour to treat, support, and care for traumatised children and adolescents."--
Counselling Children and Young People (on the first edition)
Review
"The authors of this text have done well in bridging a gap between theory and practice, while providing an easy-to-read text, which serves as a guidebook for effective treatment of traumatic stress in children and teens."--Family Journal (on the first edition)
Review
"This is an excellent volume, particularly for the front-line provider interested in a manualized hands-on introduction to interventions with traumatized children, teens, and their families."--Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine (on the first edition)
Review
"This is a very important book for anyone working with abused and neglected children and their care system....Any social service organization and all psychologists, social workers, psychiatric nurses, and psychiatrists working with traumatized and especially urban traumatized children will find this book very valuable....Any graduate psychology program that seeks to work with underserved, urban or other challenging populations should give this book serious consideration as an addition to the course syllabus."--Child and Family Behavior Therapy (on the first edition)
Synopsis
For too many traumatized children and their families, chronic stressors such as poverty, substance abuse, and family or community violencecoupled with an overburdened care systempose seemingly insurmountable barriers to treatment. This empowering book provides a user-friendly blueprint for making the most of limited resources to help those considered the toughest cases.” Evidence-based strategies are presented for effectively integrating individualized treatment with services at the home, school, and community levels. Written in an accessible, modular format with reproducible forms and step-by-step guidelines for assessment and intervention, the approach is grounded in the latest knowledge about child traumatic stress. It has been recognized as a treatment of choice by state mental health agencies nationwide.
Synopsis
This highly practical book has helped thousands of clinicians make the most of limited resources to support children and families struggling with chronic, multiple adversities. Trauma systems therapy (TST) is grounded in cutting-edge research on traumatic stress and child development. It provides a roadmap for integrating individualized treatment with services at the home, school, and community levels. Effective assessment and intervention strategies are accompanied by vivid case material and reproducible worksheets and forms. Purchasers get access to a Web page where they can download and print the reproducible materials in a convenient 8 1/2" x 11" size. First edition title:
Collaborative Treatment of Traumatized Children and Teens.
New to This Edition
*Restructured to reflect significant conceptual and clinical advances.
*Even more clinician friendly: increased emphasis on practical aspects of assessment and treatment.
*Chapter on organizational planning.
*Chapters on TST innovations, including applications for diverse trauma populations and for problems other than trauma.
*More reproducible clinical tools--now downloadable.
About the Author
Glenn N. Saxe, MD, is Arnold Simon Professor and Chair of the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at New York University (NYU) Langone Medical Center and Director of the NYU Child Study Center. Previously, he was Director of the Refugee Trauma and Resilience Center, Director of the Mental Health Informatics Laboratory, and Associate Professor of Psychiatry at Boston Children's Hospital/Harvard Medical School. Dr. Saxe and his team are the principal developers of trauma systems therapy (TST). They have published some of the first research on the biobehavioral processes controlling traumatic stress in injured children. This line of research, funded over many years by the National Institute of Mental Health, has relevance both for the identification of risk factors for traumatic stress in acutely traumatized children and for the development of secondary preventative agents.
B. Heidi Ellis, PhD, is Director of the Refugee Trauma and Resilience Center and Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Boston Children's Hospital/Harvard Medical School. Dr. Ellis studies refugee youth mental health, with a particular emphasis on understanding trauma exposure, violence, and the impact of the social context on developmental trajectories. For more than a decade she has built a community-based participatory research program with Somali refugees. Dr. Ellis works with clinicians and researchers around the country to adapt, evaluate, and disseminate TST. She also adapted the model for refugees (TST-R); this model is now recognized as one of the few empirically validated models of interventions for refugee youth.
Adam D. Brown, PsyD, is Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at NYU Langone Medical Center and a clinical psychologist at the NYU Child Study Center. He provides training, consultation and technical assistance to organizations implementing TST, and provides evaluations and clinical services to children and families. Prior to joining NYU Langone Medical Center, Dr. Brown was coordinator of Trauma Treatment at the Children's Village in Westchester County, New York; clinical director at the Andrus Children's Center in Westchester County; and program director of the young children's inpatient unit at Four Winds Hospital.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction: Trauma Systems Therapy for Child Traumatic Stress
I. Foundations
2. Survival Circuits: How Traumatic Stress Is about Survival-in-the-Moment
3. The Regulation of Emotional States: How Child Traumatic Stress Is a Disorder of the Regulation of Emotional States
4. The Social Environment and the System of Care: Traumatic Stress Responses Are Embedded in a Social Context
5. Signals of Care: The Importance of Caring Relationships for Traumatized Children
II. Getting Started
6. Ten Treatment Principles: The Principles That Guide TST
7. Assessment: How to Assess Child Traumatic Stress
8. Treatment Planning: How to Plan for Child Traumatic Stress Interventions
9. The Treatment Team: How to Build a Multidisciplinary Treatment Team (and Keep It Going!)
III. Doing Trauma Systems Therapy
10. Ready-Set-Go!: How to Engage a Family in TST
11. Stabilization on Site: Community-Based Care to Help Kids Stay in Their Homes and Schools
12. Systems Advocacy: Integrating Advocacy into Critical Treatment
13. Psychopharmacology: How Psychopharmacology Is Integrated within TST
14. Emotion Regulation Skills: How to Help Children Regulate Emotional States
15. Cognitive Processing Skills: How to Help Children Think and Talk about Their Traumatic Experiences
16. Meaning-Making Skills: How to Help Children Make Meaning Out of Their Traumatic Experiences and Move On with Their Lives
17. Conclusions: Leaving a Better System
Appendix
TST Treatment Planning Form
Weekly TST Check-In
TST Treatment Fidelity Form
Emotion Regulation Guide
Cognitive Coping Log
Systems Advocacy Screener
Goal-Setting Guide