A Guide to Psychological Debriefing: Managing Emotional Decompression and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Traumatic events strike unexpectedly and turn everyday experiences upside down. Frequently, people suffering such trauma cannot shake the experience and develop Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Psychological debriefing (PD) is a widely practised process used as an intervention for treating people who have been exposed to trauma. It allows people who have been exposed to trauma to re-examine the traumatic event in a safe and controlled environment, and reduces the risks of developing PTSD. This book is a practical introduction to PTSD and psychological debriefing, and offers an enhanced model of PD which the author terms 'Emotional Decompression'. Structured like a deep-sea dive, which has to include carefully planned safety stops on the way back to the surface to avoid getting 'the bends', this model provides time frames for how long to spend at various stages of the PD process, and when to stop for discussions and explanations. The focus is on aiding recovery from this 'invisible injury' over carefully structured time. The book presents a range of recovery models, from the 'simple' models developed by Williams and Horowitz to the more complex 'Snakes and Ladders' model developed by the author. Appendices include an essay by one of the world's leading exponents of psychological debriefing, Atle Dyregrov, as well as case studies of debriefs completed by the author, including that of a survivor of the July 7th bombings in London. "A Guide to Psychological Debriefing" is an essential book for health practitioners, counsellors, psychologists and professionals working with clients suffering from PTSD, as well as students.