SYNOPSIS
People do not adapt to trauma easily. it is common for men and women to undergo potentially traumatizing events, however only some of these become traumatizing events that lead to traumatic experiences. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) results not from events but from experiences, the way someone gives meaning to an event. This attribution of meaning is a core concept of Humanistic and Existential Psychology and psychotherapy, which are undervalued resources in the treatment of PTSD. Humanistic and existential perspectives on dealing with PTSD can be practiced on their own or as a supplement to cognitive-behavior therapy, group therapy, or any of the other mainstream approaches to alleviating suffering and helping clients turn post-traumatic stress into post-traumatic strength.
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Notes on contributors
Stanley Krippner
Stanley Krippner, Ph.D., is Professor of psychology at Saybrook University in San Francisco, California, USA. He has been President of both the Association for Humanistic Psychology and the Society for Humanistic Psychology, and has received the Pathfinder Award for his contributions to this field, as well as the Ashley Montagu Peace Award and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the International Association for the Study of Dreams. In 2002, he received the American Psychological Association Award for Distinguished Contributions to the International Advancement of Psychology. His books include Personal Mythology, Demystifying Shamans and Their World, Haunted by Combat, and The Voice of Rolling Thunder.