382- Book – Renaître après un traumatisme

Book – Renaître après un traumatisme : La traversée des tempêtes 
Author : Saverio Tomasella 
Score:  7/10
Year:  2015
Publisher: Eyrolles 

ISBN 978-2-212-56060-2
Pages XVI+212  

Language: French 

6 weeks ago, I had borrowed 3 psych books from one of our university libraries, as they were closing for the summer, allowing me the luxury of time to read them all. I read the first, and quit on the second, waited a while and read this present, third book.


I like that although it's about psychology of trauma, how it affects a person on multiple levels ; aiming, as its title means (in French) to help understanding resilience in the face of trauma and its sequela, but remains rather easy to read and adds metaphors to make it even easier and to break down a bit on the usage of jargon.

The book starts with a forward, and an introduction, ending with a conclusion and a bibliography, surrounding the 7 chapters - each with a metaphorical and evocative title, which I now translate:

1. In the storm's eye - acute manifestations of trauma 
2. After the turmoil - the durable manifestations of trauma 
3. A field of ruins - profound mutations : the devastated interior* 
4. The breaking-in of the Person : pain of grief 
5. A well hidden heritage - the violence of the secret 
6. Identifying stigma - highlighting the marks of trauma 
7. Diving in deep waters - coming back to life : to set oneself free and to transform
8. Each chapter is further divided, between 2 and 6 portions, to detail the main topic at hand. 

The first chapter deals with the metaphorical quake and tsunami that represent what we, trauma survivors, feel. It's about how traumas can affect us and immobilize us - the author uses here the sole metaphor I didn't care for, the biblical one about turning into a statue of salt, which isn't really appropriate to use, in my opinion.

The durable manifestations of the second chapter pertain to long-term effects, such as chronic pain, allergies and other health issues that are sometimes the psychosomatic manifestations of one's trauma, especially when the person have repressed its memory, in part of full. 

The third chapter expands on what ruins a person's life quality after experiencing trauma, discussing risks in losing one's sense of identity and capacity, of dissociation as a possible initial coping mechanism in the face of the undefinable and stress inducing trauma event. It then introduces the topic of cumulative trauma, where it's not one single, big event that causes difficulties and ptsd, but repeated and slowly building kind of on-going traumatic processes. 

Lastly, this chapter addresses the stigma, real and/or perceived by the sufferer, from those deemed 'in good health', and defines the notion of 'murder of the soul' in trauma : how such an event or series of events can kill a person from within. 

This is the chapter that introduces for the first time in the book, the topic of resilience, but also discusses a bit more often Freudian concepts, which I always take with a huge grain of salt... 

The fourth one pertains to the ways a traumatized person experiences separation a rupture in their/our identity, and tries to give a few clues about loss, and opening to reality - as healing processes, which would be further detailed.

The fifth is about the inherent violence of trauma, caused by a secret - of our own trauma, as well as those of our parents and theirs. 

The stigma refereed to in sixth chapter isn't so much about stigma we face from others - which is barely mentioned here, but in the sense of marks left upon  our psyche, and body, after experiencing trauma. 

The seventh and last chapter is about coming back to life after experiencing trauma. I like that this chapter addresses the fact that trauma isn't only one or several events in a person's life, but that it corresponds to an ensemble of sensory experiences - corporeal, emotional, sentimental. The chapter starts with a quote by 2 french therapists, who, in essence, tell us that whatever we experienced and go through isn't only in our head. This chapter emphases and repeats what had already been said in previous ones, about the importance of talking about our experiences, and having at least one person to whom we can confide - be it a friend, relative, and/or therapist, not only as social coping and to express ourselves, but also to have a living witness of our stories. 

Among the tools suggested here, and which I'll talk again in another entry, are thus: 

• "Opening the crypt" of our memories, by understanding the nature of our dreams and nightmares ; understanding and giving our own meaning to the imagery and symbols we see in them ;
• Using metaphors, visual cues and creativity, to express one's inner, rich, world. 
• Talking  (living witness, social coping, after we found our true memories...)
• Therapy ; 
• Breathing exercises and mindfulness - both as stand alone and as an integral part to therapy sessions
• Discovering and reigniting one's emotions, feelings, sense of self, by being open and meeting other people 

I found the book rather good, overall, possibly the best francophone one that I've read thus far. However, its title is misleading : the post-traumatic rebirth, or resilience to one's traumas, is discussed in only 1 chapter out of the 7 ; or, 38 pages out of 212... meaning, only 18% of the book is about the topic it represents in the title. The rest of it was mostly about trauma, and ptsd symptoms, using many case studies. 


At least, it used fewer Freudian theories and references, in comparison to the other books I read this summer, which was a nice change.