Healing the Fragmented Selves of Trauma Survivors

Janina Fisher, PhD, is assistant education director of the Sensorimotor Psychotherapy Institute, an EMDR International Association (EMDRIA) consultant, and a former instructor at the Trauma Center, a clinic and research center founded by Bessel van der Kolk. Known for her expertise as a clinician, author, and presenter, she is also past president of the New England Society for the Treatment of Trauma and Dissociation, a former instructor at Harvard Medical School, and coauthor (with Pat Ogden) of Sensorimotor Psychotherapy: Interventions for Trauma and Attachment.

Table of Contents

List of Figures

Acknowledgements

Introduction

Chapter One: Alienation from Self: How We Survive Overwhelming Experiences

Chapter Two: Understanding Parts, Understanding Traumatic Responses

Chapter Three: Parts Instead of Wholes: New Roles for Client and Therapist

Chapter Four: Seeing Our ‘Selves:’ an Introduction to Parts Work

Chapter Five: Befriending Our Parts: Sowing Seeds of Compassion

Chapter Six: Complications of Treatment: Traumatic Attachment

Chapter Seven: Treatment Challenges: Suicidality, Self-Harm, Addictions, and Eating Disorders

Chapter Eight: Complications of Treatment: Dissociative Disorders

Chapter Nine: Repairing the Past: Embracing Our Selves

Chapter Ten: Restoring What was Lost to Wounded Children

Appendix A: Five Steps to "Unblending"

Appendix B: Meditation Circle for Parts

Appendix C: Internal Dialogue Technique

Appendix D: Treatment Paradigm for Internal Attachment Repair

Appendix E: Dissociative Experiences Log

Appendix F: The Four Befriending Questions