Your mind need no longer be a "war zone." Reversing the Trauma of War is for all Vets who have witnessed and survived combat and are still struggling with PTSD. Just as you trained for combat you can now re-train your mind for civilian life. This book is for you if you have experienced, any or all, of these devastating PTSD symptoms: • Addiction • Guilt • Anxiety • Hypervigilance • Anger • Insomnia • Depression • Flashbacks • Nightmares • Pain Reversing the Trauma of War empowers you to become stronger, more self-confident, and able to form healthy relationships. Designed specifically for Vets, this book outlines safe and effective visual imagery exercises. With regular practice, these exercises will help you cope with stressful situations and slowly transition you away from the automatic reactions that arise in PTSD. Reversing the Trauma of War is also a great resource for family members of present and former military personnel as well as healthcare practitioners. Reversing the Trauma of War is exceptional. It is not only a mustread but a must-use both by those suffering with PTSD and by practitioners who work with those who suffer from the ravages of war. I have found it useful both personally and in my practice of treating those who have experienced many forms of trauma. Because of the complex presentation of PTSD, this handbook should be considered a "tool box." It provides personal vignettes and multiple guides to manage the multitude of symptoms associated with PTSD. It has been an honor to review this work for I see it as great resource for all who suffer from and all who treat PTSD. --Brian J. Masterson, MD, MPH, FACP, FACLP Col, USAF (Ret.), MC, CFS, FMR Commander, AF Theater Hospital, Balad, Iraq, 2006-2007, Psychiatry & Internal Medicine What a gem of a book! Reversing the Trauma of War is a gift of hope for veterans and their families whose lives are compromised by trauma and PTSD. While the clear, step-by-step mental imagery exercises are very user-friendly, don't let the simplicity fool you: the practices are grounded in the most recent cutting-edge research to effectively rewire the brain and regulate the nervous system. In my work as a psychotherapist, this book is a valued resource in my practice toolbox, and for my clients. Leslie Davenport, MA, MS, LMFT Faculty, California Institute of Integral Studies; editor, Transformative Imagery Brilliant! The book is amazingly well written, communicates effectively at the appropriate level, is well organized, and includes terrific case studies, great dialogue, and an array of practical exercises that boggle the mind in their variety, cleverness, and detail. I recommend it to everyone -- laypersons, undergraduates, mental health professionals, and your next-door neighbor. Alan S. Kaufman, PhD Clinical Professor of Psychology, Yale University, School of Medicine, Child Study Center What Kahaney and Epstein have achieved is unique. Weaving together an understanding of combat PTSD, personal stories, and an easily accessible guide to self-care and resolution, they offer healing through the simple and powerful tool of mental imagery. A remarkably practical book, the authors break down common themes of combat PTSD, offer simple explanations and provide mental imagery "recipes" that one can easily understand and use immediately. Randy Kasper, LCSW, PhD Director, School of Imagery & Health; Professor of Social Work, California State University Phyllis Kahaney, MSW, worked as a readjustment counselor at the San Diego Vet Center treating veterans with PTSD. Rachel Epstein, L.Ac. is the Director of the American Institute for Mental Imagery (www.drjerryepstein.org/AIMI), a and a healthcare practitioner. Dr. Gerald Epstein was one of the foremost practitioners of integrative medicine. Trained as a Freudian analyst, he abandoned this direction in 1974 to study therapeutic uses of the imagination under the guidance of Madame Colette Aboulker-Muscat in Jerusalem. Early in his career, he pioneered the use of mental imagery for treating both physical and emotional problems. As his work evolved over the years, he become a leading exponent of the Western spiritual tradition and its application to healing and therapeutics. He was an Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at Mt. Sinai Medical Center in NYC and founded the American Institute for Mental Imagery (AIMI). He conducted successful research in the efficacy of mental imagery in the treatment of asthma and heart strength. www.drjerryepstein.org