DYING, ILLNESS, AND AGING WITH GRACE

Healing from Trauma

• The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma by Bessel van der Kolk.

“The trauma caused by childhood neglect, sexual or domestic abuse and war wreaks havoc in our bodies, says Bessel van der Kolk in The Body Keeps the Score. . . . Van der Kolk draws on thirty years of experience to argue powerfully that trauma is one of the West’s most urgent public health issues. . . . Packed with science and human stories, the book is an intense read. . . . [T]he struggle and resilience of his patients is very moving.”
—Shaoni Bhattacharya, New Scientist

“War zones may be nearer than you think, as the 25 percent of US citizens raised with alcoholic relatives might attest. Psychiatrist Bessel van der Kolk argues, moreover, that severe trauma is ‘encoded in the viscera’ and demands tailored approaches that enable people to experience deep relief from rage and helplessness. In a narrative packed with decades of findings and case studies, he traces the evolution of treatments from the ‘chemical coshes’ of the 1970s to neurofeedback, mindfulness and other nuanced techniques.”
—Nature

“An astonishing amount of information on almost every aspect of trauma experience, research, interventions, and theories is brought together in this book, which . . . has a distinctly holistic feel to it. The title suggests that what will be explored is how the body retains the imprints of trauma. However, it delivers much more than this, delving into how the brain is impacted by overwhelming traumatic events, and is studded with sections on neuroscience which draw on the author’s own numerous studies as well as that of his peers. In addition, it investigates the effects of adverse childhood attachment patterns, child abuse, and chronic and long-term abuse. . . . [T]his book is a veritable goldmine of information.”
—European Journal of Psychotraumatology

“Dr. van der Kolk . . . has written a fascinating and empowering book about trauma and its effects. He uses modern neuroscience to demonstrate that trauma physically affects the brain and the body, causing anxiety, rage, and the inability to concentrate. Victims have problems remembering, trusting, and forming relationships. They have lost control. Although news reports and discussions tend to focus on war veterans, abused children, domestic violence victims, and victims of violent crime suffer as well. Using a combination of traditional therapy techniques and alternative treatments such as EMDR, yoga, neurofeedback, and theater, patients can regain control of their bodies and rewire their brains so that they can rebuild their lives. The author uses case histories to demonstrate the process. He includes a resource list, bibliography, and extensive notes. This accessible book offers hope and inspiration to those who suffer from trauma and those who care for them. It is an outstanding addition to all library collections.
—Medical Library Association, Consumer Connections

Quick Links

• Comfortdying website

(Resources on illness, addiction, death and dying, loss, grief, and positive aging)
• Index of comfortdying.com site
• Index of blog posts

• Writers and Editors website
• Index of Writers and Editor website (writersandeditors.com)

• Pat McNees site (patmcnees.com)

About Pat and topics specific to her, her work, and her interests

Selected Works

Fading Out: Aging and Beyond RSS feed

Eldercare: no bed of roses

February 16, 2012

Tags: Alzheimer's, burnout, caregiving, eldercare

"Why caring for my aging father has me wishing he would die," reads the subhead for Sandra Tsing Loh's story in The Atlantic, Daddy Issues (March 2012). Often, unresolved issues with siblings become the greatest sources of stress, in caring for aging parents, writes Loh (or is it Tsing Loh?), quoting Jane Gross, author of A Bittersweet Season: Caring for Our Aging Parents--and Ourselves. According to Gross, "the daughter track is, by a wide margin, harder than the mommy track, emotionally and practically, because it has no happy ending and such an erratic and unpredictable course.”

Loh's story of what happens with her aging father is as funny as it is a scary reminder of what we all may face: times so full of expensive-to-resolve problems that "because things are not actually terrible (no cops, no paramedics, no $13,000 bank withdrawals), today qualifies as a fabulous day." Judging from the comments, some readers had strong objections to her piece. (Do read the comments!)

The range of Atlantic stories on eldercare and the lives of elders is admirable, from this --
After Decades of Study, We Still Can't Figure Out Alzheimer's (Peter V. Rabins, The Atllantic, 2-16-2012). "He's studied the disease for more than 35 years, but Peter Rabins is still taken aback by caregiver resilience and lack of general knowledge." -- to this:

Old People Are Getting Better at Dating. Here's a partial list of links to Atlantic stories on aging and eldercare.

Be the first to comment

Resources on illness, addiction, death and dying, loss, grief, and positive aging

Quick Links

Selected Works

See also Subjects/sections within categories

Fading Out: Aging and Beyond RSS feed

Eldercare: no bed of roses

Archives