Clinician's Guide to Treating Stress After War

Julia M. Whealin, PhD, is the Deputy Director for Education and a research health scientist at the Veterans Affairs Pacific Islands Health Care System Division of the National Center for PTSD. She has published widely on a host of veterans mental health issues including combat stress, family issues, PTSD, sexual abuse, and resilience.Lorie T. DeCarvalho, PhD, is the founder and Director of Behavioral Health Services for Adventist Health Central California Network. She has published on pain and PTSD in various scholarly, government, self-help, and general interest publications.Edward M. Vega, PhD, is a staff psychologist in the Trauma Recovery Program of the Atlanta VA Medical Center and has worked with veterans from all eras, as well as national guards/reservists, police officers, civilian psychiatric patients, and women who are survivors of sexual and physical abuse.

• Introduction. For the Clinician.Chapter 1: Understanding Transition Stress Reactions.Chapter 2: Strategies for Healthy Coping.Chapter 3: Improving Sleep.Chapter 4: Managing Stress.Chapter 5: Dealing with Anger.Chapter 6: Reintegrating with Society.Chapter 7: Reintegrating with Family and Friends.Chapter 8: Staying Strong.Appendices.A.Reference/Resource Guide.B.Chapter Outlines.C.Pre/post Tests.D.Participant Chapter Quizzes.E.Stress Management Handouts.F.Sleep Stages Handout.G.Clinician Feedback Questionnaires.

"Utilizing a nonpathologizing approach, this cognitive-behavioral program consists of psychoeducation, teaching stress management and exercises aimed at reconnecting the veteran to a social network. The problems of readjustment are explained in a way that is frank about the difficulty and optimistic that the difficulty can be managed." (PsycCRITIQUES, 5/20/09) "The two books in the Stress After War series are companion manuals, the first designed as a reference guide for the clinician that is meant to be used in conjunction with the second, a workbook for the veteran. This pair of manuals can be thought of as resource guides to promote better mental health and adjustment postdeployment." (Journal of Psychiatric Practice, Vol 15, No. 4)"This clinician guide and client workbook set is notable for its concreteness, clarity, practicality, and specificity. This manual is a valuable and eminently practical resource for providing a structured but flexible psycho-educational intervention for veterans of war." (Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal, Winter 2009)"Both books are intended to be used with one another and encourage an active relationship between clinician and veteran as treatment unfolds. Both books positively contribute to the burgeoning focus on treatment modalities for the country's wounded heroes. A particular strength is the inclusion of pre - and posttests that the authors recommend using before and after the administration of this intervention. Clinicians will find both books pragmatic and designed to flexibly allow them to use these in conjunction with their own preferred treatment modality." (Research on Social Work Practice, December 2008)