Compassion-Based Practices for Secondary Traumatic Stress A Resource Guide for Helping Professionals

Part 1: The Science of Trauma, Secondary Traumatic Stress, and Compassion 1. Trauma 2. Secondary Traumatic Stress (STS) 3. Compassion for Self and Others 4. Compassion Within and Beyond Organizations Part II: Practices for Promoting Vicarious Posttraumatic Growth (VPTG)

Biography

Ruth Gottfried, PhD, serves as head of the David Yellin Academic College dance movement therapy master’s degree program and is an ambassador of applied compassion, certified through the flagship program at Stanford University's Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education. 

“Beautiful, well researched, and straightforward, Compassion-Based Practices for Secondary Traumatic Stress offers the reader a profound way to look at secondary traumatic stress by changing how one processes that stress. Imbued with compassion for both self and others, the compassionate path offered by Ruth Gottfried is a great contribution to the field.” 

James R. Doty, MD, director and founder, The Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education (CCARE), adjunct professor of neurosurgery, Stanford University 

“I am very pleased to offer my endorsement and extend a warm welcome to Ruth Gottfried’s compassionate framework for addressing secondary traumatic stress. Ruth’s fresh and useful new approach provides valuable guidance to professionals dealing with secondary traumatic stress, compassionately empowering them to regain their life balance.” 

Charles R. Figley, PhD, The Paul Henry Kurzweg, MD, Distinguished Chair in Disaster Mental Health at Tulane University and director of the Tulane University Traumatology Institute 

“Unlike most activity-based resources, Compassion-Based Practices for Secondary Traumatic Stress provides the conceptual background and empirical support that undergirds the activities. Seamlessly integrating the current research on trauma, secondary traumatic stress, vicarious posttraumatic growth, mindfulness, and compassion, the science presented herein is not only sound but cutting edge.” 

Brian E. Bride, PhD, Distinguished University Professor, director of the School of Social Work, Georgia State University 

“Compassion-Based Practices for Secondary Traumatic Stress is a welcome contribution to the fields of secondary traumatic stress and compassion, and a helpful and hopeful gift for all those who care for survivors of trauma. As a graduate of the Applied Compassion Training (ACT) at Stanford University and an expert on secondary traumatic stress – Ruth Gottfried compassionately bridges state-of-the-art science and practical insights with the mindset, heart set, and skillset of benefiting survivors of trauma and the professionals caring for them. The effects of her brilliant resource guide will, without doubt, lead to a more compassionate world for us all.”

Robert Cusick, co-founder and director, Applied Compassion Training™ ,  CCARE at Stanford University

“With this resource guide, Ruth Gottfried has made a substantial contribution to the health and wellbeing of all of us who work in the field of traumatic stress.  In her unique way, Ruth gently and methodically helps us gain an evidence-based understanding of secondary traumatic stress and how compassion-based practices can help reconnect us to our minds, our bodies, and to each other.  Compassion-Based Practices for Secondary Traumatic Stress is an invaluable resource for all who care for others while trying to balance care of self.”

Jessica Eslinger, PhD, assistant professor, University of Kentucky Center on Trauma and Children

“This is an exemplary work grounded in the fields of trauma, secondary traumatic stress, mindfulness, vicarious posttraumatic growth, and compassion. Ruth Gottfried’s comprehensive resource guide brings forward theoretical and practical wisdom which will serve as an essential resource for helping professionals dealing with secondary traumatic stress. Highly recommended for all professionals working in the field of trauma."

Asher Ben-Arieh, PhD, professor of social work, The Haruv Chair for the Study of Child Maltreatment and dean of the Paul Baerwald School of Social Work and Social Welfare, The Hebrew University in Jerusalem

“A wonderful, timely toolbox, and a must-read for helping professionals caring for individuals who have experienced trauma. Thank you, Ruth Gottfried, for providing a creative, user-friendly, and healing bridge between the fields of compassion and secondary traumatic stress, and for being such an inspiring ambassador of applied compassion.”

Neelama Eyres, co-founder and director, Applied Compassion Training™, CCARE at Stanford University

"Ruth Gottfried's resource guide is practical, research-supported, comprehensive, and widely applicable to all manner of helping professions and their host organizations. It is essential reading for every helping professional."

Hal A. Lawson, PhD, professor of social welfare and professor of education leadership and policy, University of Albany, SUNY

“Having first learned about secondary trauma as a clinical social worker and experiencing it first hand, then in my role as a social scientist, I can say that Ruth Gottfried’s work is truly cutting edge. Starting with a very comprehensive and well thought out description of secondary traumatic stress and related concepts, this resource guide is rooted in sound science. From this evidence base, Ruth then offers a comprehensive approach to compassionately addressing secondary traumatic stress in many settings. I wish I had this book when I was a practicing social worker and will recommend it to my students and colleagues working in the field of trauma.”

James Caringi, PhD, MSW, LCSW, professor, University of Montana School of Public and Community Health Sciences / co-director of the Developmental Adversity, Resilience and Transformation Lab (DART) Lab

“Compassion-Based Practices for Secondary Traumatic Stress is a beautifully written and illustrated resource guide that serves as a compassionate compass for professionals caring for survivors of trauma. The enriching blend of theory and practical knowledge and the inspiring integration of Buddhist principles is highly commendable. Effortlessly engaging readers with its readability, this comprehensive guide can be revisited time and again, offering fresh insights with each encounter.”

Dafna Tener, PhD, associate professor, head of the BSW and MSW for graduates in fields other than social work programs, The Paul Baerwald School of Social Work and Social Welfare, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem

“Compassion-Based Practices for Secondary Traumatic Stress is a must-read for helping professionals and organizational leaders in the field of trauma. Ruth Gottfried guides readers through a wealth of scientific knowledge in the fields of secondary traumatic stress, vicarious posttraumatic growth, and compassion, offering detailed and practical recommendations that bridge extensive realms of expertise. As a dance movement therapist, Ruth's profound knowledge shines through, and the integration of the body, movement, and creativity into her practical recommendations make her work both unique and incredibly valuable.”

Einat Shuper Engelhard, PhD, head of the Dance Movement Therapy program, Graduate School of Creative Art Therapies, University of Haifa

“The compassionate path offered by Ruth Gottfried elegantly integrates research and practice to provide a much-needed review of where the fields of secondary traumatic stress and compassion are today. It likewise offers concrete compassion-based practices that can be used by all professionals in trauma-exposed fields. This book should become an essential resource for all.”

Françoise Mathieu, Med, RP, author of The Compassion Fatigue Workbook

“Compassion-Based Practices for Secondary Traumatic Stress is a distinct and valuable offering to the secondary traumatic stress community and field of compassion. Ruth Gottfried’s writing, selection of content, and citations are accessible, relevant, and profound – a rare and special combination of characteristics by an expert. I am recommending this resource guide to participants in my program at Stanford and to you, too.”

Monica Hanson, co-founder and director, Applied Compassion Training™, CCARE at Stanford University

“Compassion-Based Practices for Secondary Traumatic Stress offers a wide variety of creative solutions, grounded in empirical evidence, for addressing and coping with secondary traumatic stress. The inclusion of individual and group variations of all practices makes this a great resource for individuals, supervisors, or team leaders.”

Stephanie Gusler, PhD, assistant professor, University of Kentucky Center on Trauma and Children

“Grounded in theoretical and practical knowledge Compassion-Based Practices for Secondary Traumatic Stress is a warm-hearted and compelling invitation to address secondary traumatic stress and promote vicarious posttraumatic growth with compassion. Creatively interwoven with beautiful illustrations and haiku poetry, Ruth Gottfried offers a compassionate and altruistic path that is both illuminating and transformative. This resource is one that I will revisit and recommend for its valuable guidance.”

Merav Cohen-Shalev, MSW, psychotherapist, couple and family therapist, North Tel Aviv Station for Couple Therapy, Ministry of Welfare and Social Services & Private Clinic

“Compassion-Based Practices for Secondary Traumatic Stress underscores the essential principle of ‘Caring for Caregivers,’ highlighting the need for helping professionals to include themselves within the circle of compassion they offer others. Ruth Gottfried’s in-depth theoretical review, coupled with her excellent practical recommendations, equip helping professionals and their affiliated organizations with the necessary tools to compassionately and creatively address secondary traumatic stress and promote vicarious posttraumatic growth. Thank you, Ruth, for this invaluable contribution!”

Chava Weiss, PhD, head of the Institute for Creative Arts Therapies, The David Yellin Academic College of Education