Horrific Traumata: A Pastoral Response to the Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder [Hardcover]

William M Clements (Author), Norma J R Sinclair (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 1560242930 | ISBN-13: 978-1560242932 | Publication Date: March 16, 1993 | Edition: 1

Horrific Traumata shares the stories of persons whose meaning, hope, and faith were ripped from them by others or traumatic events and who live with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Since the Vietnam War, therapists have come to understand victims of severe emotional trauma with new understanding and, with better ability, have come to learn how to heal the awful effects of their traumas. Now the ranks of traumatized Vietnam veterans are joined by others who have also experienced horrific traumata and need help to rebuild their lives from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)--victims and survivors of incest and rape, hostage situations, and other events outside the range of ordinary human suffering.

Duncan Sinclair provides direct insight into the clinical and psychological aspects of PTSD. He presents a clear and workable understanding of the nature of PTSD which gives clergy and other involved persons direct insight into the causes of many behaviors. Horrific Traumata focuses on the church’s readiness and obligation to incorporate traumatized victims into the center of grace and healing. Clergy of all specialities now have a means of seeing behind the masks of hurt and isolation to the long-standing and disabling trauma. Sinclair shows how to promote the healing process through a range of parish activities as well as in clinical settings. Guidelines for promoting healing include the key concepts of how to listen compassionately and how to create safe places in which victims may heal during the rebuilding of hope and faith. Scriptures used throughout develop a hopefulness that must be maintained for healing.

Based on the quintessential understanding that current life stressors open past wounds in ways that leave them open, Sinclair guides professionals and clergy in treating the whole traumatized person. Clergy of all specialities, pastors, chaplains, pastoral counselors, seminary students, clinical pastoral educators, and students will find healing words for hurting people in this book. Clinical specialists in all disciplines who wish to view clients’lives from a clinical and faith position will find the stories and clinical suggestions in this book to be a modern goldmine.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Sinclair identifies post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as "a spiritual disorder because the person who experiences the full impact of PTSD has been impoverished by the loss of a series of vital spiritual attributes (hope, intimacy, future, peacefulness, memory, spontaneity, wholeness, innocence, trust, awe) that are essential to living a full life." Sinclair, an Episcopal priest and licensed marriage and family therapist, as well as a Vietnam veteran with his own fears, gives a clear explanation of the nature and results of trauma, its delay, and the issues surrounding its treatment, including the victim's family, multiple personality disorder, and healing as process. He outlines how pastoral counselors and others can help healing and promote growth. This book is enriched by a number of illustrative stories that provide insight into PTSD. Useful for clergy, therapists with a spiritual orientation, and those suffering from the disorder. Highly recommended.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 120 pages
• Publisher: Routledge; 1 edition (March 16, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1560242930
• ISBN-13: 978-1560242932
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6.2 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,807,066 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Much Needed Perspective on PTSD, July 24, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Horrific Traumata: A Pastoral Response to the Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (Paperback)

I am the wife of a Viet Nam veteran and we are both struggling mightily with the effects of his delayed PTS. I have my own bookshelf with the PTS 'classics', but Duncan Sinclair's book is the first I have encountered to acknowledge, discuss and address the spiritual wound of trauma.

Sinclair was a two tour chaplain in Viet Nam and suffered life altering effects of PTS himself following being called to assist the wounded and dying after the Tet Offensive. He is also a degreed therapist. Though his own suffering was war related, he fully identifies and relates to trauma by other causes.

As anyone who has lived with or undergone treatment for trauma will understand, there is more to PTS than healing the mental and emotional wounds. Many survivors see improvement but are left helpless with residual effects. For the first time, I have came to see there is also a spiritual wound that co-exists and must also be addressed for real healing to occur. While psychology is making great inroads into identifying and treating PTS, it cannot address the spiritual wound.

This book is for anyone with PTS who has done the work and has seen improvement but can't understand why they remain affected; for wives, children and families who also suffer the effects of trauma in loved ones; for professionals who treat trauma and have the courage to admit part of this wound remains beyond the reach of science and who have the compassion to desire deeper understanding of their patient's ongoing pain; for all ministers or pastors who do not know how to respond when confronted by persons wounded by trauma; for anyone who is researching PTS in addition to the better known trauma titles as this will not conflict with accepted information on trauma it will add to it.

Sinclair's book is very readable, concise and not complicated. The subtitle, 'A Pastoral Response...' is apt - though I would add the word 'Intelligent'. The title, Horrific Traumata, frightened me a bit as I dread reading books that endlessly recall detailed horrors of traumas but Sinclair does not do more than give a few apt examples to set the stage for discussion. Also, some books on trauma I find to be less-than-helpful personal purges for those who seek recovery but are stuck in the past - not so here. If you fear that a Christian minister's approach to PTS might be trite or an evangelical's sales job, I assure you will not find those things here. Sinclair has done a brilliant job of being survivor, therapist and pastor in one whole professional yet spiritual man. Non-Christians will not feel threatened by this book yet believing Christians will see the root of real healing.

I feel this book was well worth the high price and consider it an important and unique read for the hurting.