Healing Trauma

This is the first book written on clinical research and work related to the development of applied trauma psychology in Hong Kong. Contributed by numerous reputable researchers and clinicians, the book covers the latest research on and practice in assessment, psychological sequel (including psychological distress and growth of traumatic experience), evidence-based clinical intervention, and rehabilitation services for people affected by various traumatic stresses. Discussed in detail are interpersonal trauma like child sexual abuse and family violence, health and medical trauma such as infectious disease and the pain related to end of life, mass trauma and disaster including community psychological support programme developed in Hong Kong and Sichuan, as well as the rationale for mainstreaming trauma training in university education.

This book serves to strengthen the link between research and practice, and between academic work and community awareness. It is a guidebook for professionals serving the traumatized, academics dedicated to research and development of trauma psychology, students learning, and educators passing on the existing knowledge and experience accumulated for healing trauma.

Kitty K. Wu, a Senior Clinical Psychologist at Kwai Chung Hospital, is a founding member and the current President of the Asian Society for Traumatic Stress Studies. She is a Fellow of the Hong Kong Psychological Society, the Chair of the Subcommittee for Accreditation of Clinical Placement for Clinical Psychology Training (2008 to present) and the Convenor of the Critical Incident Team (1993–1997 and 2000 to present) of the Division of Clinical Psychology, Hong Kong Psychological Society. Dr Wu has written six books on psychological health for the public and has various academic publications in international journals. She was an Adjunct Associate Professor in the Chinese University of Hong Kong, and is an Honorary Associate Professor in the University of Hong Kong. Catherine S. Tang is the Professor, Deputy Head, and Director of Clinical Psychology Programs in the Department of Psychology at the National University of Singapore. She is also an Adjunct Professor in the Obstetrics and Gynecology Department at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. An active researcher with over 300 academic publications — on topics such as violence against women, family violence, addictive behaviour, psychotherapy treatment outcome, and trauma psychology, she serves as the Associate Editor for Asian Journal of Social Psychology and a member of the Editorial Board for Sex Roles: A Journal of Research and Applied Psychology: Health and Well-Being. Eugenie Y. Leung is the Director of Counselling and Person Enrichment at the University of Hong Kong. Her past work experience as clinical psychologist was in correctional services in Hong Kong and Canada, and in the psychiatric outpatient clinic. She also taught courses on disaster and trauma in the Chinese University of Hong Kong and the University of Hong Kong. She was a co-leader in the Critical Incident Team and an active service provider in major local and regional disasters. As a newspaper columnist, she promoted public education actively via the mass media. Her professional interests include clinical depression, women’s mental health, and disaster management.

“This is a unique book on the effects on trauma. It combines international knowledge and empirical evidence with local researches and practices on a range of trauma events. The resulting work is both universally as well as culturally relevant to practices in Hong Kong and our neighboring places in China and Asia. The book is an invaluable tool for clinicians, researchers and policy makers.” —Se-fong Hung, MBBS, FRCPsych President, Hong Kong College of Psychiatrists Hospital Chief Executive, Kwai Chung Hospital

“This is a comprehensive and concisely-written guide on trauma. It will be an essential reader for all helping professionals who want to properly understand and manage trauma from a psychological perspective.” —Sandra Tsang, MSocSc (Clin), PhD Head, Department of Social Work and Social Administration, University of Hong Kong

“This book fills an important gap and will be an invaluable resource for clinicians, researchers and policy makers involved with survivors of traumatic events. I highly recommend it to students and experienced practitioners alike.” —Mark Creamer, MA (Clin), PhD Director, Australian Centre for Posttraumatic Mental Health Professor of Psychology, Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne

“Context is critical in understanding the effects of traumatic stress. This is a rare volume as it captures the unique experience of Hong Kong experts in dealing with a range of victims and traumas. I strongly recommend this book not only for practitioners in Hong Kong but also for those from a Chinese cultural background as it offers many valuable insights.” —Alexander McFarlane, MD, FRANZCP Professor of Psychiatry, University of Adelaide

“Culture and language affect how we interpret the events that happen to us and can affect whether and how well we recover from traumatic events. This volume represents the first major compilation of traumatic stress work being done in Hong Kong. The authors are to be commended for this work.” —Patricia Resick, MA (Clin), PhD Professor of Psychology and Psychiatry, Boston University Director of Women’s Health Sciences Division, National Center for PTSD