Reducing Secondary Traumatic Stress
Check Price on Amazon

As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases

Reducing Secondary Traumatic Stress

Expert Analysis (Click for details)
Knowledge Depth
Overall Score 4.0/5
Strengths
The book covers the CE-CERT model in depth, with dedicated chapters for each of the five components (experiential engagement, reducing rumination, conscious narrative, reducing emotional labor, parasympathetic recovery), and includes a synthesis chapter. The second edition expands on the first with additional insights and research support, indicating a growing body of content.
Limitations
The book is focused specifically on STS and the CE-CERT model, so it does not provide broad coverage of trauma-related topics such as PTSD treatment modalities, neurobiology of trauma, or organizational interventions. It is a specialized resource rather than a definitive reference on trauma care.
Recommendations
Ideal for professionals seeking a focused, in-depth exploration of STS management. For a comprehensive understanding of trauma and its impacts, pair this book with a broader trauma textbook.
Loading decision snapshot…

Reducing Secondary Traumatic Stress expands the five evidence-informed CE-CERT practices for supporting emotional well-being in workers exposed to the effects of secondary trauma. Adding new insights, additional research support, and fresh examples, the conversational tone makes this edition eminently readable and especially useful. Not only does the book provide helping professionals with a portfolio of skills that support emotion regulation and recovery from secondary trauma exposure, it also enhances the experience of the helping encounter. Each chapter presents evidence-informed skills that allow readers to regulate distressing emotions and foster increased empathy for those suffering from trauma. Reducing Secondary Traumatic Stress goes beyond the usual discussion of burnout to talk in specific terms about what we do about the very real stress that is produced by this work. Read more

About This Book

The second edition of Reducing Secondary Traumatic Stress expands the five evidence-informed CE-CERT practices for supporting emotional well-being in workers exposed to the effects of secondary trauma. Adding new insights, additional research support, and fresh examples, the conversational tone makes this edition eminently readable and especially useful. Not only does the book provide helping professionals with a portfolio of skills that support emotion regulation and recovery from secondary trauma exposure, it also enhances the experience of the helping encounter. Each chapter presents evidence-informed skills that allow readers to regulate distressing emotions and foster increased empathy for those suffering from trauma. Reducing Secondary Traumatic Stress goes beyond the usual discussion of burnout to talk in specific terms about what we do about the very real stress that is produced by this work. Read more

ISBN-139781032687438
ISBN-101032687436
PublisherRoutledge
Publication DateMarch 2025
Edition2
Pages220
LanguageEnglish
Dimensions5.98 x 0.5 x 9.02 inches
Weight10.5 ounces

Expert Analysis & Insights

In-depth editorial assessment across key dimensions

5 dimensions analyzed
Knowledge Depth
4.0

The book covers the CE-CERT model in depth, with dedicated chapters for each of the five components (experiential engagement, reducing rumination, conscious narrative, reducing emotional labor, parasympathetic recovery), and includes a synthesis chapter. The second edition expands on the first with additional insights and research support, indicating a growing body of content.

Ideal for professionals seeking a focused, in-depth exploration of STS management. For a comprehensive understanding of trauma and its impacts, pair this book with a broader trauma textbook.

Practical Application
4.0

The book is explicitly designed to provide a 'portfolio of skills' and 'concrete strategies' for managing rumination, reducing emotional labor, and activating parasympathetic recovery, with each chapter presenting evidence-informed skills. The conversational tone and 'fresh examples' make the skills accessible and easy to implement in real-world practice.

Useful for practitioners who prefer a narrative, skill-building approach. Consider creating your own quick-reference cards or worksheets based on the CE-CERT components to facilitate daily application.

Research Utility
4.0

The book is explicitly evidence-informed, drawing on research from a wide range of fields, and the author's own 2007 study on career-sustaining behaviors in psychotherapists is cited. The CE-CERT model is described as a 'synthetic' framework that integrates empirical findings, and the second edition adds new research support, indicating a commitment to grounding recommendations in data.

Valuable for clinicians seeking a research-informed framework for addressing STS, but those needing a deep academic review of the STS literature should supplement with primary research articles and systematic reviews.

Pedagogical Value
4.0

The book is structured around the CE-CERT model with a clear narrative arc (sections mirroring the hero's journey), which provides a progressive and memorable framework for learning. The conversational tone and use of metaphors and parables, as highlighted in the foreword, enhance explanatory quality and accessibility for clinicians at various levels.

Recommended for clinicians and trainees in trauma-exposed fields who benefit from a narrative-driven, reflective approach. Supplement with case-based supervision or structured study groups to reinforce skill acquisition.

Reference Quality
3.0

The table of contents is clearly organized by CE-CERT components and sections, allowing readers to locate specific skills. The presence of an index provides a basic mechanism for finding specific terms or concepts.

Best used as a book to read and digest rather than a quick-reference manual. For rapid access to specific CE-CERT skills, consider creating your own summary sheets or using the index to locate relevant sections.