Treating Complex Traumatic Stress Disorders in Children and Adolescents ― Scientific Foundations and Therapeutic Models

With contributions from prominent experts, this pragmatic book takes a close look at the nature of complex psychological trauma in children and adolescents and the clinical challenges it presents. Each chapter shows how a complex trauma perspective can provide an invaluable unifying framework for case conceptualization, assessment, and intervention amidst the chaos and turmoil of these young patients' lives. A range of evidence-based and promising therapies are reviewed and illustrated with vivid case vignettes. The volume is grounded in clinical innovations and cutting-edge research on child and adolescent brain development, attachment, and emotion regulation, and discusses diagnostic criteria, including those from DSM-IV and DSM-5.

See also Drs. Courtois and Ford's edited volume Treating Complex Traumatic Stress Disorders (Adults) and their authored volume,Treatment of Complex Trauma: A Sequenced, Relationship-Based Approach.

Julian D. Ford, PhD, a clinical psychologist, is Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine, where he is also Director of the Child Trauma Clinic and of the Center for Trauma Recovery and Juvenile Justice. He is Associate Editor of the Journal of Trauma and Dissociation and serves on the board of directors of the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies (ISTSS). With Dr. Courtois, Dr. Ford is a recipient of the Print Media Award from the International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation (ISSTD) for their coedited volume on treating complex traumatic stress disorders in adults; he has also published several other books on trauma-related topics. Dr. Ford developed and conducts research on the Trauma Affect Regulation: Guide for Education and Therapy (TARGET) psychosocial intervention for adolescents, adults, and families.

Christine A. Courtois, PhD, ABPP, is a counseling psychologist in private practice in Washington, DC. She is cofounder and past Clinical and Training Director of The CENTER: Posttraumatic Disorders Program, also in Washington, and a past president of Division 56 (Psychological Trauma) of the American Psychological Association (APA). She has recently been appointed chair of the Clinical Treatment Guideline Development Panel for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder for the APA. Dr. Courtois is a recipient of the Outstanding Contributions to Professional Practice Award from APA Division 56, the Lifetime Achievement Award from the ISSTD, and the Sarah Haley Award for Clinical Excellence from the ISTSS, among other honors. She has published numerous books, book chapters, and articles on trauma-related topics.