Trauma and Madness in Mental Health Services

by Noïl Hunter

Overview

How do survivors of child abuse, bullying, chronic oppression and discrimination, and other developmental traumas adapt to such unimaginable situations? It is taken for granted that experiences such as hearing voices, altered states of consciousness, dissociative states, lack of trust, and intense emotions are inherently problematic. But what does the evidence actually show? And how much do we still need to learn?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9783319917511
Publisher:	Springer International Publishing
Publication date:	06/21/2018
Edition description:	1st ed. 2018
Pages:	238
Product dimensions:	5.83(w) x 8.27(h) x (d)

About the Author

Noël Hunter is a clinical psychologist working in private practice in New York City, USA. Her work focuses on the link between trauma and altered states, human rights, and alternative approaches to healing.

Table of Contents

Part 1: The Status Quo

1. Introduction: Containing Multitudes
2. A History of Dissociation and Madness
3. The Politics of Madness
4. The Illness Inquisition
5. Suffering is Human
6. The Body and Mind in Context: The Role of Trauma and Adversity

Part II: The Clinical Experience

7. Finding Help.- 8. A Plea for Change
9. Recommendations for Moving Beyond the System
10. Resources and Helpful Tips.

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

“Trauma and adversity are almost universal aspects of the distress that brings people into contact with mental health services, but few people get the help they need. This book offers a comprehensive and sensitive guide to the impact of trauma, the limitations of standard medical responses, and the possible ways forward. Noël Hunter brings her clinical and personal experience to this challenging but invaluable overview.” (Lucy Johnstone, Consultant Clinical Psychologist, Author, and Independent Trainer based in Bristol, UK)

“Hunter, a clinical psychologist, fearlessly punctures the pretensions of the psy-professions by examining the politics of madness and research about madness, the victim-blaming uses of psychiatric diagnoses, and the hidden vested interests of professionals who professionalize help and medicalize distress. Hunter effortlessly summarizes an enormous amount of research and perspectives to help people understand traumas and their consequences, aswell as practices proffered under the guise of help that offend and dehumanize. She accompanies her searing indictment of the psychopharmaceutical-industrial complex with several liberating proposals for immediate and fundamental change.” (David Cohen, Professor of Social Welfare, University of California, Los Angeles, USA)

“I first saw this manuscript in draft form and thought it was spectacular, most importantly for the valuable information it conveys to individuals suffering from these problems, and also in how well written it is. The book will also be of great value for professionals working in the fields of psychological trauma.” (Fran Grossman, Professor Emeritus, Boston University, USA)

Editorial Reviews

Trauma and Madness in Mental Health Services offers a great deal of practical help for both practitioners and for those in emotional turmoil. In very concrete terms, Hunter offers chapters on what is helpful and what is not.” (Bruce E. Levine, counterpunch.org, July 18, 2018)​

“Noel Hunter’s remarkable book sheds light on a new discourse around human suffering, while tying into a long history of approaches that have vacillated between attempts at categorization and an overarching view of distress on a continuum. … ‘Madness and Trauma’ is an auspicious paragon for such an ambitious project, and thus a must-read for anyone looking for a way forward in this complex field.” (Peter Stastny, Psychosis, Vol. 10 (04), 2018)

From the Publisher