Trauma and the Therapist: Countertransference and Vicarious Traumatization in Psychotherapy with Incest Survivors [Paperback]

Laurie Anne Pearlman (Author), Karen W. Saakvitne (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 17, 1995 | ISBN-10: 0393701832 | ISBN-13: 978-0393701838 | Edition: 1

This book explores the role and experience of the therapist in the therapeutic relationship by examining countertransference (the therapist's response to the client) and vicarious traumatization (the therapist's response to the stories of abuse told by client after client). The authors address specific issues that arise in treatment of incest survivors.

Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company; 1 edition (June 17, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0393701832
• ISBN-13: 978-0393701838
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.4 x 1.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #611,358 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best book I've read on working with abused people !, June 22, 1999

By 

Curtis Climer (Woodburn, OR) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Trauma and the Therapist: Countertransference and Vicarious Traumatization in Psychotherapy with Incest Survivors (Paperback)

As a physician with a psychology background, working with many abused women in a general practice setting, I found the experience, wisdom, and insight presented in this book to be extremely practical and useful. It is an in depth discussion of the deeper issues of therapy and recovery related to sexually abused people. I found the early theoretical-base explanation somewhat unuseful. But the discussions with regard to transference and counter-transference were wonderful. It is marvelous to read such a well thought out collection of experience. This book is slow reading for me, given the time needed to process what is being said, but it could be read over and over again to glean deeper meaning. The focus on spirituality is somewhat shallow in my opinion. They explain it to be one of their focuses, but they never expound on it to deeply. Regardless, this book is a must read if you work with abused people. Our clients will all be better served in their recovery's if we can all better master the sensitivities and concepts presented in this book.

46 of 50 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Praises for 'Trauma and the Therapist', December 13, 1999

By 

Shannon G. Converse ([e-mail]) (Modesto, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Trauma and the Therapist: Countertransference and Vicarious Traumatization in Psychotherapy with Incest Survivors (Paperback)

This is a wonderfully touching book, I could barely stand to put down. It is the finest book I have ever read on the therautic process of treating trauma victims and the effects of trauma experienced by the therapist. The depth of information regarding transference and countertransference and the exploration of what a therapist truely goes thru is simply to powerful to put into words. I have never read a book which deals with this subject from the therapists viewpoint, while not completely ignoring the client side either. But make no mistake, this is a book for understanding what therapists experience and for any therapist, graduate student, psychology instructor or interested lay person, this book is simply superb. My hats off to the authors who have truly done their profession a valuable service by making this information available - I found this book, hard and emotional to read and I am not a therapist, although I hope to be someday. I have a far greater understanding of the love and strength of character needed to specialize in treating victims of abuse so horrific, the authors made a point of deliberately leaving out extremely disturbing details of the story relayed in their book. Had they now chosen to do this, I venture to say very few people could tolerate the impact of these horrors. Even so, enough was left in to be seriously affected by the book. Should be required reading for every graduate program in the country. Heart Renching, Enlightening, Fascinating, and Painful...simply a marvelously written book - the authors should be very proud!

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the most important books I ever read as a therapist, August 9, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Trauma and the Therapist: Countertransference and Vicarious Traumatization in Psychotherapy with Incest Survivors (Paperback)

If you are working with survivors, this is a "must have" part of your library. TRAUMA AND THE THERAPIST not only has a clear and compelling theoretical basis, but it is uniquely helpful in clarifying both the universal and idiosyncratic nature of our reactions to survivor clients. I read it at a time of major crisis for myself in my work [and in my workplace] and it helped me understand what was going on in a way that was immediately useful, helped end my confusion and personal agony, and aided me in finding my way back to the joy of practice with this challenging population.