Trauma Resources

This page concentrates on research-related trauma resources on the Internet that can be read, joined or searched: on-line databases, a workshop calendar, professional organizations, email discussion lists, and information about effective trauma treatment approaches.

Selected full-text published articles about trauma are available from the Articles page at this site. Several other resources relevant to trauma, disasters, psychology, and neuroscience are available from the Links pages.

Online Databases:

Three excellent resources for further exploration on your own are PILOTS, PubMed, and the Dissociation Archive; the first two are online databases allowing free searches, while the Dissociation Archive is a collection of articles published in the Journal Dissociaiton.

PILOTS stands for "Published International Literature On Traumatic Stress". This freely-accessible database is maintained by the National Center for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder; it includes over 30,000 article citations -- most with abstracts.

Search PILOTS:

Search PILOTS for free access to abstracts of the Published International Literature On Traumatic Stress. Help & Support is available from this link.

If you have Adobe Acrobat's free PDF File Reader browser add-on, then you can also retrieve the complete PILOT's User's Guide, the Instruments Authority List, as well as issues of the National Center's PTSD Research Quarterly (including full-text articles). The PILOT's Authority List identifies all psychometric instruments (assessment scales, or tests) used in studies catalogued in the PILOTS database.

Search PubMed / MEDLINE:

Search PubMed for free access to MEDLINE abstracts.

PubMed is one of the National Library of Medicine's search services; it provides access to citations in MEDLINE and several related databases, with links to participating online journals. For more advanced searches, including global searches across several databases, search Entrez, instead -- Entrez is the life sciences search engine.

Search Dissociation Archive:

Search Disssociation Archive, at the University of Oregon's Scholars' Bank.

The Dissociation Archive is an online archive of articles and commentary contained in Dissociation. You can search the archive -- or browse for titles, authors, and dates. Published between 1988 and 1997, Dissociation was the official journal of the International Society for the Study of Dissociaton (ISSD).

TopProfessional Organizations

The International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies (ISTSS), with headquarters in Northbrook Illinois, is a professional association focused on research and practice in the area of traumatic-stress. Membership and other information is available via the ISTSS web site (click on the link above), or from their email address: istss@istss.org. The Society sponsors an annual convention each November, as well as an international conference. ISTSS also sponsors a variety of publications: the quarterly printed Journal of Traumatic Stress, with peer-reviewed articles on biopsychosocial aspects of trauma, as well as a newsletter -- Traumatic StressPoints. [Note: Usually, the CITRM conference immediately follows the ISTSS convention, in the same city.]

The International Society for the Study of Dissociation (ISSD) is a nonprofit professional society that "promotes research and training in the identification and treatment of dissociative disorders, provides professional and public education about dissociative states, and serves as a catalyst for international communication and cooperation among clinicians and researchers working in this field." ISSD often holds their annual convention nearby and shortly before that of ISTSS. Information about their annual convention (frequently held close to the ISTSS meeting), is available at their site, as well as psychotherapy training for clinical work with dissociative disorders. ISSD also sponsors the Journal of Trauma and Dissociation.

Another annual conference important in the field of Psychological Trauma, the Boston Trauma Conference, is co-sponsored by Dr Bessel van der Kolk's Trauma Center and the University of Boston Medical School.

The American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress (AAETS), in New York, is a multidisciplinary network of professionals committed to the advancement of intervention for survivors of trauma. With a diverse professional membership in the United States and over 24 other countries (representing over 140 specialties in the health-related fields, emergency services, criminal justice, forensics, law and education), the Academy seeks to increase awareness of the effects of trauma and ultimately to improve treatment for survivors. To this end, members may obtain Board Certification, Diplomate and Fellow Credentials, and listing in the National Registry of The American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress.

The Association of Traumatic Stress Specialists (ATSS), founded in 1989, has a web site and offers three distinct certifications to individuals providing support, education, intervention and treatment in the field of traumatic stress. These are Certified Trauma Specialist (CTS), Certified Trauma Responder (CTR), and Associate in Trauma Support (ATS). ATSS also offers continuing education trainings that are relevant for traumatic stress responders.

A training and certification program is available at Florida State University for Certified Traumatologists, under the direction of Charles Figley, PhD. The Traumatology Institute at FSU offers classes for those who assist trauma victims, and awards CEU's for licensed mental health professionals. Membership in the Traumatology Institute is available, by application, to qualified professionals experienced in reducing the distress and emotional trauma of others.

Professional Workshop Calendars

Dr. Myron Pulier, at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, has compiled a searchable Professional Conference & Workshop Database. This general database covers mental health presentations (including, but not limited, to trauma or PTSD) anywhere in the world. [If you are sponsoring or presenting a workshop or training, please contact Dr. Pulier to add your conference to this workshop calendar.]

The American Psychological Association also lists a Calendar of Events in Continuing Professional Education; these are organized by APA-approved sponsors.

Psychwatch maintains worldwide listings of Upcoming Conferences in Psychology, Psychiatry & Related Mental Health Fields, listed by their start dates.

If you're living in the Pacific Northwest -- or hoping to find a workshop here -- the Seattle-based Workshop Calendar lists mental health CE workshops primarily in Washington, Oregon, and California.

Unfortunately, these resources are not currently searchable by topic, date, or location, etc.

TopElectronic Journals

A list of peer-reviewed print journals focusing on psychological trauma and abuse is maintained by Jennifer Freyd. You may also want to explore less-focused lists of online journals at Psycline or on the Links page of this site.

Traumatology-e, one such electronic journal, is devoted to both clinical and research issues of trauma. Edited by Charles Figley, PhD, it began online publication in May 1995 and aims to greatly reduce the publication lags of traditional printed journals, with subsequent sale of bound printed volumes.

You can read the full text online articles from back issues of this journal: May 1995, Fall 1995, Jan 1996, May 1996, Aug 1997, Dec 1997, Aug 1998, Oct 1998, May 1999, July 1999, Sep 1999, Dec 1999, Mar 2000, May 2000, Oct 2000, Dec 2000, Apr 2001, Aug 2001, Oct 2001, Dec 2001, Mar 2002, Jun 2002, Sep 2002, Dec 2002, Mar 2003, Jun 2003, Sep 2003.

Beginning in 2004, Traumatology articles are available for a fee, but abstracts remain free:

Mar 2004, Jun 2004, Sep 2004, Dec 2004; Mar 2005, Jun 2005, Sep 2005, Dec 2005.

The Australasian Journal of Disaster and Trauma Studies, based at Massey University in New Zealand, is a peer-reviewed electronic journal publishing original material on disaster and trauma studies within Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific rim. Coverage includes disaster and trauma mitigation and prevention, response, support, recovery, treatment, policy formulation and planning and their implications at the individual, group, organisational and community level. The Journal is interested in events of natural, technological and human-induced origin and their effects at individual, community, organisational and national levels.

TopEmail Discussion Lists

As mentioned above, the traumatic-stress electronic mailing (discussion) list focuses on emotional trauma. This and several other email lists, described below, may be of interest to visitors of this site.
Traumatic-Stress Forum
To learn about how to join the open Traumatic-Stress forum, you just send an email message to listserv@listp.apa.org. In the text of your message, write: info traumatic-stress. [To leave the list, send the command: "SIGNOFF traumatic-stress" to that address. Please don't send command messages to the entire list membership.] Policy information about the Traumatic-Stress list can probably be obtained from this listserv.
Trauma Professional Forum
The TS-Professional list, an offshoot affiliated with the T-S forum, is a closed list for credentialled professionals, including therapists, educators, and researchers. Discussions focus on research, theory, and treatment of trauma and other disorders of extreme stress, and related issues. To get the questionnaire you'll need to join, send an email message to listserv@listp.apa.org. In the text of your message, write: SUBSCRIBE trauma-professional. [To leave this list, send the command: "SIGNOFF trauma-professional" to that address. Again, please don't send command messages to the entire list membership.]
Traumatologist Forum: Collaboration among Traumatologists
Traumatologist Forum was established to facilitate communication among those who work with (studying, assessing, treating, educating) the traumatized. This Forum is limited to those who have acquired certification as a traumatologist or field traumatologists (or are working toward these distinctions). To subscribe, visit the Traumatologist Forum.
Compassion Fatigue List
The Compassion Fatigue email list serves as a virtual community for care-givers, emergency responders and others who provide care to suffering individuals, families and communities. This is both a scholarly and personal list, designed to provide a forum for members to ask questions, share experience, receive support, report developments in the field (including research) and, ultimately, evolve our care-giving skills. It aims to provide insight, information and support that will broaden knowledge as well as help ameliorate our compassion fatigue. Subscribe by filling out a form at the Compassion Fatigue website.
AABT Disaster & Trauma SIG
The Disaster & Trauma special interest group of the Association for Advancement of Behavior Therapy (AABT) sponsors a closed email discussion list open to members of the D & T SIG. The listowner is Trish Long at Oklahoma State University. Members of the AABT Disaster and Trauma special interest group (and those interested in becoming members) who would like to be added to this list should send an email message to listserv@listserv.OKstate.edu. In the body of your message, type the command: subscribe AABT-Trauma-SIG your-firstname your-lastname. If you want to leave this list, send the command unsubscribe AABT-TRAUMA-SIG in a message to listserv@listserv.OKstate.edu.
Dissociation
A related and often overlapping area of interest for many clinicians working with trauma populations is the dissociative disorders, including DID (formerly MPD). There is an electronic mailing list, called DISSOC, where discussions focus on a variety of dissociative disorders in adults and children. This list is moderated by Richard A. Chefetz, M.D., and is restricted to mental health professionals; verification of licensure may be required. To join, send an email message to listserv@listserv.icors.org; in the body of your message, type subscribe dissoc your name.
Outcome Research
Just a little further afield is the issue of outcome research on the effectiveness of psychological treatments for trauma. This is an important area, and it is receiving lots of attention in mental health. I've argued elsewhere that some characteristics of trauma populations make this work more difficult than with other disorders. These problems remain unresolved. Still, there is a mailing list on outcome evaluation that looks broadly at outcome research questions, and it may be of interest to those hoping to design outcome studies of psychological treatments with trauma patients. The purpose of the OUTCMTEN list is to foster communication among all mental health "stakeholders" with the goal of improving measurement and understanding of interventions and their effects. To subscribe, visit Topical Evaluation Networks. Bear in mind, discussions on this list generally focus on large scale studies and mostly do not address problems specific to trauma outcome research.
Finding Chats, Support Groups, or other Email Lists

ASTP, a USENET support group, alt.support.trauma-ptsd, can be accessed with any newsreader; members of this group have written an ASTP-FAQ with more information. [Please note that ASTP is a peer-support group, and not a source for research subjects.]

Several hundred email lists, formerly hosted at St. Johns University's "Maelstrom" listserver, may have moved in early 2006 to a new home at ICORS (Information Center for Online Resources and Services). Browse the ICORS website for more information about some of these resources: http://www/icors.org.

Catalist is an official catalog of nearly 25,000 public LISTSERV email lists, maintained by L-Soft. In England, Emotional Support Resources offers a search engine to help find support groups on the internet, as well as traditional phone lines. Finally, Liszt, and TileNet's Lists provide information and search engines to help you locate additional email discussion lists covering almost any topic of interest. You may also want to search the extensive listings at Yahoo Groups.

TopSpecific Treatment Approaches

Treating emotional trauma requires the clinician to select a strategic approach:

The most appropriate strategic decision depends on the history, needs and capabilities of each individual patient, as well as the nature of the traumatic event(s). Each strategy involves trade-offs: directly processing core trauma memories promises rapid resolution, providing the client is capable of this, but may exacerbate symptoms if unsuccessful. Building client resources may feel wonderful, but by itself neither deals with -- nor resolves -- trauma issues. Clearly, strategy affects tactics: a clinician's strategic approach affects which treatment approach(es) appear best suited or most fruitful. Clinical approaches often change during treatment, as a client's needs and capabilities evolve.

While each approach involves trade-offs, the most appropriate treatment choices depend on history, capabilities & goals of each patient, as well as the nature of the traumatic events

The goal of trauma treatment is the elimination, or diminution, of flashbacks, nightmares, and other intrusive symptoms, allowing avoidance and arousal symptoms to subside. Gradually, a narrative account of the trauma and its aftermath emerges and assumes a place in one's lifecourse.

While trauma treatment generally involves (some would say requires) re-experiencing and resolving the traumatic experiences, putting them into a context where they remain "in the past", the direct strategy can be problematic in some cases, depending on patient characteristics and the nature and timing of their traumatic experiences. In an interview with Michael Hoyt, Donald Meichenbaum discusses these difficulties and his constructive narrative approach with such clients.

Fortunately, a variety of psychotherapeutic approaches are available for working with a wide variety of traumatized patients. At the risk of over-generalizing, somatic-based approaches are often used for building client resources, keeping clients in their bodies, and for processing events peripheral to the trauma core. Other approaches, such as EMDR, have been used historically to directly process memories of a traumatic event. Since I've had training in many trauma-specific treatment methods, selecting appropriate treatment approaches depends primarily on client needs and goals. Medications can sometimes be useful as an adjunct to psychotherapy, but are generally not the primary or sole recommended treatment for most with PTSD.

Several organizations and some individuals have compiled extensive and very detailed treatment guidelines for working with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and related issues including acute stress disorder (ASD) or dissociation (e.g., DID; DDNOS). These guides may be very helpful for some clinicians working with challenging clients in this area. A collection of PTSD treatment guides is available at this site. Additional treatment guidelines focused on disaster mental health are listed on this site's Disaster page.

Somatic Approaches

Some effective approaches to trauma treatment, such as Peter Levine's Somatic Experiencing (or SE) method, utilize awareness of somatic (body) sensations and have been described as "Body - or Somatic Psychotherapy". You can search for a trained SE practitioner by visiting the SE Practitioners Registry on Peter Levine's website. [For additional somatic awareness approaches, see: Pat Ogden's Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, Bill Bowen's Psycho-Physical Therapy, and the Bodynamics site, among others.]

EMDR

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (or EMDR), is a clinical method that appears to offer rapid and very effective relief, especially for one of the most difficult parts of trauma work: the intrusive re-experiencing of traumatic incident(s). A searchable listing of EMDR-trained therapists is available at the EMDR Institute.

I was trained in EMDR in June and August 1991 by its originator, Francine Shapiro PhD, and have used this procedure with many trauma patients and with very good results since then. For ten years, from 1992-2002, Jesse Rappaport, LCSW and I conducted a monthly study group for local clinicians who had taken some training in this method. Additionally, Jesse and I both assisted at EMDR trainings in the Pacific Northwest, and I sponsored several EMDR trainings in Oregon. In June 1995, I presented at the Annual EMDR Conference on the use of single case designs to overcome some methodological problems in psychotherapy treatment outcome research with trauma populations.

The current EMDR bibliography lists over 400 EMDR journal articles about this procedure published from 1989 through 2005. I maintain this list, and most recently updated it in May 2006. My listing does not select for either "pro-" or "con-" research papers; it includes research reports and case studies, but excludes popular articles, dissertations, or presentations, as well as book chapters, comments, most letters, and the like. Citations are sorted by year, and a link is provided to abstracts available in the PILOTS online database. [Note: Since PILOTS uses slightly different selection guidelines, the PILOTS abstracts do not coincide exactly with my article list.]

I'm trying to maintain an accurate and complete listing of EMDR research. If you know of any published journal articles concerned with EMDR that are not included here -- or if you see any errors in the list -- please let me know. Thanks.

An independent article on EMDR from the National Center for PTSD website discusses use of this method with various forms of PTSD. A critical review of research on EMDR as a treatment for PTSD, by Rich McNally, is available for those with a PDF reader. Additionally, three reviews of Francine Shapiro's (1995) first-edition textbook on EMDR were published together in the September 1995 issue of Contemporary Psychology; one of these reviews is available online. A second edition of this text was published in 2001.

Other Approaches

Additional non-pharmacological individual, group, and debriefing approaches to trauma have been developed independently by various clinicians. Some of these methods have roots in applied kinesiology or Chinese medicine and are characterized as "Energy Psychology", while others derive from spiritual roots. Yet more treatments incorporate alternative approaches, sometimes within a complex assessment framework.

For the most part, you'll find links to descriptions of somatic, energy-based, and other innovative psychotherapy approaches collected on the Support Page. I would be happy to add links to web pages giving more information about several relatively new clinical methods that may be useful in treating traumatic-stress -- CISD, TIR, TFT, EFT, and the counting method, are just a few such examples. After many years of relatively little optimism for brief and effective trauma treatment, new tools raise hopes and the need for research focused on efficacy and commonalities across these methods.

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