Healing Trauma: The Power of Listening

A fascinating compendium of ar+cles that look at trauma through a myriad of lenses--existential neuroscience history psychoanalysis sociology trauma+c stress research literature--these beautifly crafted essays engage the reader throughout. Dori Laubs research into the importance of witnessing and gathering testimony from victims of severe trauma--whether related to the Holocaust sexual abuse or war--to help them create narratives out of what was inchoate pain is central to so many of the contributors. Research is used as witness in Robert Jay Liptons work and so too is literature as in Schreibers discussion of Toni Morrisons fiction. The chapters on brain research help us to better understand the individual and social impact of trauma and how much has been learned in recent years that influences the way clinicians interact with patients. Bringing together a neurobiological and psychological understanding of trauma Schreibers edited volume is an essential book for psychoanalysts who want to have a more thorough understanding of trauma as well as for all those in other disciplines who are interested in the subject. --Batya R. Monder MSW BCD Training & Supervising Analyst Contemporary Freudian Society (CFS)