The Haunted Self

Structural Dissociation and the Treatment of Chronic Traumatization

By: Onno Van Der Hart, Ellert R. S. Nijenhuis PhD, Kathy Steele

Narrated by: Kathleen Godwin

Life is an ongoing struggle for patients who have been chronically traumatized.

They typically have a wide array of symptoms, often classified under different combinations of comorbidity, which can make assessment and treatment complicated and confusing for the therapist.

Many patients have substantial problems with daily living and relationships, including serious intrapsychic conflicts and maladaptive coping strategies. Their suffering essentially relates to a terrifying and painful past that haunts them. Even when survivors attempt to hide their distress beneath a facade of normality―a common strategy―therapists often feel besieged by their many symptoms and serious pain. Small wonder that many survivors of chronic traumatization have seen several therapists with little if any gains, and that quite a few have been labeled as untreatable or resistant.

In this book, three leading researchers and clinicians share what they have learned from treating and studying chronically traumatized individuals across more than 65 years of collective experience. Based on the theory of structural dissociation of the personality in combination with a Janetian psychology of action, the authors have developed a model of phase-oriented treatment that focuses on the identification and treatment of structural dissociation and related maladaptive mental and behavioral actions. The foundation of this approach is to support patients in learning more effective mental and behavioral actions that will enable them to become more adaptive in life and to resolve their structural dissociation. This principle implies an overall therapeutic goal of raising the integrative capacity, in order to cope with the demands of daily life and deal with the haunting remnants of the past, with the “unfinished business” of traumatic memories.

Of interest to clinicians, students of clinical psychology and psychiatry, as well as to researchers, all those interested in adult survivors of chronic child abuse and neglect will find helpful insights and tools that may make the treatment more effective and efficient, and more tolerable for the suffering patient.

This audiobook is skillfully read by Kathleen Godwin. It was produced and published by Echo Point Books & Media, an independent bookseller in Brattleboro, Vermont.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2006 Onno Van Der Hart, Ellert R. S. Nijenhuis, Kathy Steele (P)2025 Echo Point Books & Media, LLC

Best book on dissociation!

This is the best book I’ve read/listened to on treating dissociation for chronically traumatized individuals. The authors break down the underworking of dissociation in a way that’s easy to understand. I also appreciate how they differentiate diagnoses and how that affects treatment. Their theory is compassionate and honoring of survivors. This book is full of wisdom and hope!

Excellent book

As a trauma therapist, this is probably one of the most informative and useful books I've found on the subject. I would definitely recommend!

Loved this book!

This book gave me valuable information that will help me in my journey. I enjoyed listening to the narrator as she had a very soothing voice and used the right inflection when needed. A very well written book.