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In this authoritative book John Marzillier describes and reviews the various forms of trauma therapy, examining what the therapies consist of, their research basis, their similarities and differences, and what they tell us about trauma and its effects.

This book is a memoir of the author's professional life as a psychologist and psychotherapist. It shows his progression from a hard-nosed behaviour therapist with a strong commitment to science to a psychodynamic therapist with an interest in narrative. Along the way he shows the way the main schools of psychotherapy (behavioural, cognitive, psychodynamic) work, drawing on case material from his professional practice. He shows the mistakes he made and the lessons he eventually learned from his patients. His focus on clinical cases enables readers to see psychotherapy in operation and get drawn into the ups and downs of trying to help some fascinating and often tricky people who rarely conform to what is expected of them. The book is free of jargon and can be enjoyed without any prior knowledge of psychology or psychotherapy. It is designed to entertain and inform the general readership about the mysterious world of psychotherapy, what goes on behind the consulting room door. It will be of particular interest to the increasing number of people who encounter psychotherapy either through their own experience of seeking help or the experiences of family and friends or through reading of popular books such as those of Oliver James and Irving Yalom. It should also prove invaluable for those interested in training as a clinical psychologist, counsellor or psychotherapist.

It is well recognized that those who go through a major trauma can go on to experience psychological problems. Many seek psychological help and there is a now a range of psychotherapies specifically for those who have been through trauma. In this authoritative book John Marzillier describes and reviews the various forms of trauma therapy, examining what the therapies consist of, their research basis, their similarities and differences, and what they tell us about trauma and its effects. Designed specifically for therapists, and engagingly written, the book ranges from established therapies such as prolonged exposure, EMDR and imaginal reliving to newer developments such as mindfulness meditation, compassionate-focused therapyand energy psychology techniques. Aware that therapy is more than a collection of techniques, Marzillier discusses the nature of psychological trauma, the therapeutic relationship and what psychotherapy can offer. The domination of a quasi-medical model, notably in terms of PTSD, and of evidence-basedpsychotherapy has led to a misleadingly simplistic notion that effective trauma therapies are those based on exposure. This book does much to dispel this notion. For all psychotherapists and counsellors, this is a valuable book describing the many and varied trauma therapies. It shows how therapists of all persuasions can benefit from further understanding of how best to help those who have been through a major trauma.

Despite how rare one-off traumatic events may seem, the statistics show that the majority of us are likely to experience such trauma at some point in our lives. In this innovative and engaging book, Marzillier combines first-hand accounts from trauma sufferers with over forty years of clinical practice to provide an honest, human description of how trauma affects us at the time and also after the event. Whether discussing accounts of terrorist bombings, natural disasters, road accidents or physical attacks, he looks at what these experiences do to us and offers practical and consoling advice - for both sufferers and their loved ones - on coping with the experience and developing resilience for the future.

Terrible events are very hard to deal with. Those who go through a catastrophic life experience, such as a car accident, assault, long-term abuse, an illness or bereavement, often feel permanently changed by the impact of what has happened. They become numb and shut off from those around them, or grief or guilt may constantly weigh them down. Memories of horrifying scenes may intrude unexpectedly during waking hours while sleep may be disturbed by vivid, unpleasant dreams. These two practical guides on trauma and how to cope with its aftermath are written by internationally recognise trauma experts. Overcoming Traumatic Stress - Claudia Herbert & Ann Wetmore Based on cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), this self-help guide offers a step-by-step programme to help you to understand your traumatic experience and how it's affecting you, and to start to rebuild your life. Traumatic stress responses, including Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) result from a person's coping mechanisms having been completely overwhelmed by a terrible experience. 'Flashbacks' may be so severe that sufferers may feel that they are losing their sanity and subsequently become ever more isolated in their distress. To overcome the effects of trauma it is necessary to change those reactions and begin to see events in a different light. This book demonstrates, with practical advice and tested exercises, how to find new, effective ways of coping with, and finally overcoming traumatic stress. To Hell and Back - John Marzillier In this innovative and engaging book, world-renowned psychologist John Marzillier dovetails first-hand accounts from trauma sufferers with over 40 years of clinical practice to provide an honest, human description of how trauma affects us at the time and also after the event. Whether discussing accounts of terrorist bombings, natural disasters, road accidents or physical attacks, he looks at what these experiences do to us and offers practical and consoling advice - for both sufferers and their loved ones - on coping with the experience and developing resilience for the future.

A personal memoir of a professional psychotherapist. Bringing home the realities of psychotherapeutic work, the failures as well as the successes, in an entertaining and informative way. `Written by one of Britain's most experienced clinical psychologists this biographical memoir gives an insightful and entertaining account of what it takes to work as a psychotherapist. Combining case histories with a discussion of key themes, John Marzillier has produced a book that is warmly written, very informative and a pleasure to read.' Paul Gilbert. Professor of Clinical Psychology, University of Derby and author of The Compassionate Mind and Overcoming Depression `I cannot recommend this book too highly, John Marzillier shares with his readers many intimate details of his life's journey through clinical psychology and the various schools of behaviour therapy to dynamic psychotherapy, in each of which he trained. Throughout he was discovering the limitations of each school of therapy as well as the value of each, being careful not to be caught into the dogmatic position of any one of them. In his moves on, from one training to another, he was careful not to discard skills that had proved their value, integrating these with the fresh skills he learned with each new step of his journey. Learning from his patients as he went, and from his mistakes. Marzillier eventually came to recognize how important it is to work with deeper levels of the mind rather than symptoms alone, which he had seen as the main focus of attention in therapy and later in what came to be known as CBT (cognitive behaviour therapy). Marzillier writes in a way that is a pleasure to read, being open and personal, always accessible and frequently with humour. His book is full of telling clinical examples. This is a book from which anyone in the helping professions has much to learn.' Patrick Casement, a psychoanalyst and author of Learning from the Patient `I found John Marzillier's book so riveting. I could not put it down and read it in one sitting. From behaviour therapy to psychoanalysis, becoming an expert in CBT along the way, Marzillier describes his personal journey, revealing the human stories behind the distilled `science' of psychotherapy. It will be an effective antidote to any tendency to idealise particular therapies, or to assume that any one approach has the answer, whilst also acknowledging the genuine contributions from many different lines of psychological enquiry. I strongly recommend it to all those training in clinical or counselling psychology - and, indeed, in any form of psychotherapy.' Phil Mollon PhD, a clinical psychologist and psychoanalyst and author of Shame and Jealousy and Psychoanalytic Energy Psychotherapy `This is a remarkable memoir. It begins with a series of terse, moving sketches of some patients whom John Marzillier treated early in his career, and at the same time details his uncertainties and anxieties about his methods of treating them. With great honesty he does not simply recount his successes, and the result is an account of his therapy and experiences which is both finely judged and lucidly written, I strongly recommend The Gossamer Thread.' Tom Paulin, a poet and Lecturer in English Literature at Hertford College, Oxford