Last
revised:
November 15th, 2008
These pages are designed to provide hope and promote information
sharing, in support of the many people who are suffering from
overlapping trauma and mental health issues. For example, we know
that women diagnosed with serious mental illness report lifetime
histories of physical and/or sexual abuse between 51% to 97% in
different studies (see Goodman et al below). Regular updates
will focus on research and model programs, along with educational and
self-help information.
Violence, neglect, loss, discrimination, and other forms of trauma can
be “crazy-making” and drive us to self-medicate to manage the pain,
unless we receive the right kinds of support. Addictions often
accompany trauma and mental health issues. Even today many people
suffering from the impact of severe trauma who approach mental health
services are “lost in the diagnosis” and not given the whole-person help
they need for recovery. Inadvertently our efforts as helping
professionals have often increased survivors’ self-doubts and feelings
of powerlessness. People who are diagnosed with mental health
disabilities can benefit from understanding and healing their histories
of trauma.
We
are living in an exciting time where innovative tools, programs and
research are enabling us to redesign our supports, and maximize
recovery. This list also pays tribute to women’s and other peer-support
programs along with many holistic therapies that have been lifelines and
innovators all along.
For suggested additions to these pages call 604-948-4870
Baldwin, David.
Trauma Information
pages is an award-winning site providing handouts and resources with
focus on Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and dissociation,
individual traumatic experience and large scale dissasters.
Commonwealth of Massachusetts (1996) “Clinical Guidelines: Department of
Mental Health Clients with a History of Trauma. National Association of
State Mental Health Program Directors (NASMHPD) (1998), “Responding to
the Behavioural Healthcare Issues of Persons with Histories of Physical
and Sexual Abuse: National Trauma Experts Meeting, Final Report”,
Alexandria VA: National Technical Assistance Centre for State Mental
Health Planning (NTAC), ph. (703) 739-9333.
Everett, B. and Gallop, R. (2001) The Link Between Childhood Trauma
and Mental Illness. Thousand Oaks:Sage.
An introduction for clinicians.
Herman, J. (1992) Trauma and Recovery. New York: Basic Books.
Still a classic, proposed the diagnosis of “complex post-traumatic
stress disorder” to include all of the after-effects of severe trauma.
Rieker, P. and Carmen, E. (1986) “The victim to patient process: the
discomfirmation and transformation of abuse”, American Journal of
Orthopsychiatry, 56(3), pp 360-370.
Saakvitne, K. et al (1999) Risking Connection: a Training Curriculum
for Working with Survivors of Childhood Abuse, Lutherville, MD: The
Sidran Press, ph. (410) 825-8888.
Van der Kolk, B. (1995) Severe Early Trauma (video) Cavalcade
Productions. Excellent to use for training clinicians.
Van
der Kolk, B. and colleagues (2001) Psychological Trauma Assessment
Package. The Trauma Center
GROUP WORK
Harris, M. (1998) Trauma, Recovery and Empowerment. New York: The
Free Press. A manual for professional facilitators of groups with women
who have diagnoses of serious mental illness (SMI) along with women who
do not. A chapter on supporting women with SMI. A section group
sessions for male survivors.
PREVALENCE OF TRAUMA AMONG WOMEN WITH MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES
Goodman et al (1997) Physical and Sexual Assault History in Women with
Serious Mental Illness: Prevalence, Correlates, Treatment, and Future
Research Directions. Schizophrenia Bulletin,Vol. 23, No. 4. 1997.
Harris, M. (1997) Sexual Abuse in the Lives of Women Diagnosed with
Serious Mental Illness, Harwood Academic Publishers.
Ad Hoc Group on Women Mental Health, Mental Illness and Addiction (May 2006) - Women,
Mental Health and Mental Illness and Addiction in Canada: An Overview
(pdf)
Bills, L.J. and Bloom, S.L. (1998) From Chaos to Sanctuary: Trauma-Based
Treatment for Women in a State Hospital System. Women’s Mental Health
Services. Levin, B.L. et al eds. Thousand Oaks: Sage.\
Community
Connections, Washington DC, Trauma-Informed Services Consultation -
This centre offers assistance to mental health services seeking to be
more responsive to survivors of violence and trauma.
(see Harris below)
Gallop, R. et al, (1999) Abused women’s concerns about safety and the
therapeutic environment during psychiatric hospitalization. Canadian
Journal of Nursing. (31:2) pp. 53-70.
Haskell, L. (2003) First Stage Trauma Treatment: a Guide for Mental
Health Professionals Working with Women. Order at
The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health.
Dr. Whynot, Liz - Advancing
the Health of Girls and Women in BC: A Provincial Women's Health
Strategy. Includes discussion of the need for
women-centered approaches to mental health and addiction and their
connections to violence and trauma. BC Institute Against Family Violence
- Newsletter Summer 2005.
Moses DJ et al (2004) Developing Integrated Services for Women with
Co-Occuring Disorders and Trauma Histories , (US) National Center on
Family Homelessness. Funded by Substance Abuse and Mental Health
Services Administration’s Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, Center
for Mental Health Services, and Center for Substance Abuse Prevention.
Morrow, Marina (2004)
Violence and Trauma in the Lives of Women With Serious Mental Illness.
BC Centre of Excellence for
Women’s Health.
Morrow, Marina (2003)
Demonstrating Progress: Innovations in Women’s Mental Health.
BC Centre of Excellence for Women’s
Health.
Morrow, Marina (1999) Hearing
Women’s Voices: Mental Health Care for Women.
BC Centre of Excellence for Women’s
Health.
Morrow, Marina (2003)
Mainstreaming Women’s Mental Health: Building a Canadian Strategy.
BC Centre of Excellence for Women’s
Health.
State of Oregon Mental Health and Developmental Disability Services
Division, Office of Mental Health Services (1999) “Listening to
High Utilizers of Mental Health Services: Recognizing, Responding to and
Recovering from Trauma”.
GROUP WORK WITH WOMEN
Harris, M. (1998) Trauma, Recovery and Empowerment. New York: The
Free Press. A manual for professional facilitators of groups with women
who have diagnoses of serious mental illness (SMI) along with women who
do not. A chapter on supporting women with SMI.
Laris, M. et al (2000) Hope for Healing: Recovery and Empowerment for
Women Consumer/Survivors with Abuse Histories, National Research and
Training Centre on Psychiatric Disability, Univ. of Illinois at Chicago.
A manual for group work using consumer co-facillitation.
Linehan, Marsha (1993) Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment of Borderline
Personality Disorder. Guilford Press. Text and accompanying
Skills Training Manual...offer practical strategies for both group
and individual counsellors to assist women trama survivors to move
beyond self-injurious and ineffective coping skills. Linehan recognizes
and respects the tremendous pain women are experiencing and incredible
strengths they have. New coping skills and counselling relationships
based on honesty and clear boundaries are offered.
Canadian Women’s Health Network has
some articles on women and mental health.
Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (2000) Women What do these signs
have in common? Recognizing the effects of abuse-related trauma. Booklet
order at: Centre for Addiction and Mental
Health
Copeland, M. and Harris, M. (2000) Healing the Trauma of Abuse: a
Women’s Workbook, New Harbinger Publications.
Copeland, Mary Ellen (1994) Living Without Depression and Manic
Depression, New Harbinger Publications. A workbook for managing
depression and preventing manic episodes and suicide, through self-care
and support.
Deegan, Patricia PhD (1999)
Reclaiming your power during medication appointments with your
psychiatrist. National Empowerment
Centre.
Glenmullen, Joseph (Simon & Shuster 2005) The Antidepressant Solution : A step by step guide to safely
overcoming antidepressant withdrawal dependence and addiction.
Grobe, Jeanine (1995) Beyond Bedlam.
Third Side Press. Psychiatric survivors’ accounts including alternatives
that enabled their healing/liberation.
Laris, M. et al (2000) Hope for Healing: Recovery and Empowerment for
Women Consumer/Survivors with Abuse Histories, National Research and
Training Centre on Psychiatric Disability, Univ. of Illinois at Chicago.
A manual for group work using consumer co-facillitation.
Lutz, J. (1999) Self-care and
recovery. From the
National Empowerment Centre.
The importance of a personally meaningful approach.
Najavits,
Lisa (New Hambinger 2002) A Woman's Addiction Workbook. Enables
women to do safety stage healing from trauma and addiction issues.
Saibil, Diane with Women and Health Protection (2005) SSRI
Antidepressants: their place in women's' lives
Currie, Janet C. (2003) Manufacturing Addiction: The Overprescription of
Benzodiazepines and Sleeping Pills to Women in Canada.
BC Centre of Excellence for Women’s
Health.
Currie, Janet C. (2005)
The Marketization of Depression: The
Prescribing of SSRI Antidepressants to Women
(pdf) Women and Health Protection Canada.
Dr. Phillip Long: Internet
Mental Health. Mainstream website lists journal
articles on specific diagnoses and medications.
Najavits,
Lisa (New Hambinger 2002) A Woman's Addiction Workbook. Enables
women to do safety stage healing from trauma and addiction issues.
Najavits,
Lisa (The Guilford Press 2002) Seeking Safety: A Treatment
Manual for PTSD and Substance Abuse. Manual for support groups. Some
women's organization such as Victoria Women's Sexual Assault Centre have
adapted for women-only groups.
Alaska
Network on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault - Get Safe and Sober:
Real Tools You Can Use. See Website
andvsa.org. For use with women who are coping with violence by using
substances.
Saibil, Diane with Women and Health Protection (2005) SSRI
Antidepressants: their place in women's' lives
The Mental Health Foundation
has some info on complementary therapies.
Moses DJ et al (2004) Developing Integrated Services for Women with
Co-Occuring Disorders and Trauma Histories, (US) National Center on
Family Homelessness. Funded by Substance Abuse and Mental Health
Services Administration’s Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, Center
for Mental Health Services, and Center for Substance Abuse Prevention.
The Primer Fact Sheets on
Mental Health and Addictions” (2003) Canadian Mental Health
Association co-produced these for public education with the province of
BC.
Therapeutics Initiative at UBC.
Independent body offering:
- Evidence-based treatment options for mental health issues
- Alternatives to and problems with medication.
