Books and Articles by Dr. Karjala
Dr. Karjala has written three books on trauma. The most recent, entitled Healing Everyday Traumas, is about dealing with the wounds almost all of us are carrying around from having been criticized, bullied or emotionally abused at various times in our lives. The second, Understanding Trauma and Dissociation, is about the more severe forms of trauma, including PTSD and dissociative disorders. The third, Taming Trauma Beasties, offers an innovative approach to helping children cope with trauma. Scroll down for more information about each of them. Dr. Karjala also has online courses planned for both professional practitioners and the general public. More information about these courses will be posted soon.
Get Started Today on Your Personal Healing Journey!
Have you ever asked yourself, "Why am I making such a big deal out of this?" The answer is that the event you're remembering is probably a form of everyday trauma, and many seemingly small events can cause ripples that are felt far down the stream of time. These events can have profound effects on our thoughts, feelings and behaviors even many years later. One of the major consequences of everyday trauma is the formation of the critical voice, the nagging, negative "voice" that we all have in our heads. This book helps readers learn creative, easy-to-use techniques to heal everyday trauma, eliminate self-defeating attitudes and behaviors, and live a more joyous and productive life.
Learn More about the Treatment of Severe Trauma
Understanding Trauma and Dissociation unravels the mystery of dissociation for psychotherapists who treat the aftereffects of trauma as well as for trauma survivors and their loved ones. In clear language, it explains the connections between dissociation, trauma, and the devastating physical and psychological symptoms that stem from them. It offers a thorough understanding of the phases of trauma treatment, with practical techniques to minimize retraumatization during therapy. There is an enlightening description of how to recognize and overcome the internal system that is aimed, among other things, at derailing treament and preventing the patient from experiencing any hope of recovery. Finally, there is an introduction to mind-body techniques and their application to the treatment of trauma.
Check Out a New Healing Approach for Children
Taming Trauma Beasties is a valuable resource for mental health workers, parents and caregivers to help children recover from trauma. It empowers children by providing them with concepts typically reserved for adults. Through the use of clear, simple language and engaging drawings, children are able to learn about trauma, triggers, and flashbacks. A series of stories walks the reader through typical nontraumatic situations, skillfully showing how such situations can rapidly become terror-filled because some aspect of them triggers the memory of an earlier trauma. The Trauma Beastie concept allows treatment to begin immediately, even when the child is reluctant to talk about the traumatic event. It also acts as a container for deeply painful thoughts and feelings. After explaining the basic concepts, the book provides both traditional and innovative techniques that are easy to learn, fun to use, and very effective for healing the wounds of trauma. It is designed to be read aloud together by adults and children. It is easily appropriate for children age 9 and up but has been used with children as young as 6, especially as an adjunct to psychotherapy.
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