Child Trauma Handbook

Finally—an accessible guide that teaches the step-by-step processes of treatment!

The Child Trauma Handbook is a comprehensive plain-language guide to treating trauma-exposed children and adolescents and those with trauma or loss-related issues. This no-nonsense manual helps the reader understand how and why kids’ behaviors can be related to their history of trauma while teaching practical hands-on clinical skills and interventions. Informally presented and easy-to-read, this book pulls together all aspects of working with children to become a full-spectrum empirically based, trauma-informed treatment model.

Trauma has a lasting effect on everyone, especially children, leaving the risk of developing a range of mental health and behavioral problems. The Child Trauma Handbook tackles this inherent vulnerability by providing practical, accessible information and effective strategies for clinicians and other paraprofessional workers. The user-friendly text includes a fifty-seven page instructor's manual and CD (featuring a test bank and chapter slide shows), illustrative case studies, recommended reading lists, treatment regimes, discussion questions, useful handouts, exercises, and an annotated bibliography—all in an 8.25” x 10.75” format. This resource is an integration of data-based interventions, clinical skills, and therapist/worker self-awareness/self-care that makes it valuable for any mental health professional working with kids.

The Child Trauma Handbook is designed as companion text to workshops or course study, or to stand alone as a valuable resource textbook. The book explores:

• understanding trauma and trauma treatment
• the structure of trauma treatment
• the trauma-informed therapeutic relationship
• evaluation and treatment planning
• the initial trauma history interview
• case formulation
• treatment contract
• safety and strength-building
• case management
• parent training
• self-control skills training
• building strength and affect tolerance
• trauma resolution methods
• preparation
• conducting an exposure session
• problem-solving in an exposure session
• relapse prevention and harm reduction
• group therapy
• crisis intervention
• creating a safe environment
• and more!

Mental health professionals who work with children and adolescents, day/residential treatment administrators and line staff, pediatric nurses, case managers, teachers, shelter workers, juvenile justice/probation, child welfare workers, and parents will find the Child Trauma Handbook to be an essential, all-encompassing source for effective treatment of children and adolescents in need.