The Trouble with Trauma: The Search to Discover How Beliefs Become Facts

Author Michael Scheeringa argues that the widely-held notion that trauma causes permanent psychological and even physical damage fails to be supported by the facts. Rather, he claims, we practice a kind of self-deception in this regard because of our need for survival: we lie to ourselves in order to feel we can proceed with our lives and give ourselves a reason for feeling so deeply impacted by a traumatic event. This book is a critique of the current discourse around trauma, but more than that, it is an exploration of a different way of conceptualizing the choices we make when faced with a difficult situation. Scheeringa's focus is on heuristics, or a way of rapid decision making in high pressure contexts. An interesting critique of the current paradigm, and an attempt to reorient discourse away from what he believes is groupthink around the concept of trauma, this book is a vital read for anyone seeking to better understand trauma and the ways we respond to it. (Short Discount)