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Book Overview

Recovering from Workplace PTSD

A Recovery Guide and Workbook for
Mental Health Professionals and PTSD Survivors

Kevin William Grant

Book Overview

Stress, anxiety, depression, trauma, bullying, and burnout have all become "accepted realities" of the modern workplace. This book will unpack contemporary workplace realities, educate you about PTSD, and help you build your personalized recovery plan for transformation and recovery.

This recovery program has seven core purposes:

  1. Validate your current situation. This recovery program begins by validating your experiences and breaking through any denial you may be experiencing by examining all the ways you could be traumatized at work.
  2. Identify your realities. Once you understand how you've been traumatized, you'll learn about how PTSD develops and how to break through the defenses that protect you from the painful experiences you're facing.
  3. Understand workplace PTSD. Armed with a deeper understanding of what PTSD is, how it develops, and how you react to trauma, you will be able to identify the support you'll need to heal and recover.
  4. Build your recovery team and develop your action plan. Useful tools and techniques will help you connect with and build your team of support professionals and advocates. Once you begin working with your team, you'll start the recovery process by acquiring a set of skills and techniques to help you weather the storm and begin healing.
  5. Grieve, mourn, and let go. Recovery will take you on a journey of grieving, mourning, and letting go, which will transport you to a new sense of calm and acceptance. I'll break down this journey into the stages you'll travel through to get to the other side.
  6. Come to terms with and recover from the impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic. The COVID-19 global Pandemic has left a lasting impact on all our lives. I will review the Pandemic's mental health, physical health, and social implications with tools and techniques that will help you manage the trauma and stress the Pandemic brings.
  7. Maintain your recovery. Finally, I'll share helpful ways to maintain your recovery, manage setbacks with compassion, and track your progress so you can proactively navigate the inevitably choppy waters as you continue your healthy and productive recovery.
Book Overview

Recovering from Workplace PTSD

Workplace Mental Health Series Volume 1

Table of Contents

Introduction
  • Introduction
  • What is PTSD? 
  • Complex PTSD (C-PTSD)
  • Mental Health Issues Related to PTSD 
  • The Brain and PTSD 
  • The Health Impacts of PTSD 
  • Additional PTSD Risk Factors 
  • Synopsis 
Section 1: Understanding Workplace Realities
  • Introduction 
  • Abusive Workplaces 
  • Dangerous Working Conditions 
  • Workplace Power Dynamics 
  • Power Abusers Are in Positions of Authority 
  • Workplace Bullying, Harassment, and Discrimination 
  • Toxic Workplaces 
  • Persistent Workplace Trauma 
  • Workplace Grief Denial 
  • Workplace Trauma Denial 
  • Synopsis 
Section 2: Identifying Your Realities
  • Introduction 
  • What is PTSD?
  • Complex PTSD (C-PTSD)
  • Workbook Exercises 
    • Workbook Exercise 2-1: Understanding my situation
    • Workbook Exercise 2-2: Understanding my life situation
    • Workbook Exercise 2-3: Identifying my emotions
    • Workbook Exercise 2-4: Am I anxious?
    • Workbook Exercise 2-5: Am I depressed?
    • Workbook Exercise 2-6: Am I having obsessive-compulsive thoughts?
    • Workbook Exercise 2-7: Describing the traumatic event that bothers me the most
    • Workbook Exercise 2-8: Am I experiencing a trauma reaction?
    • Workbook Exercise 2-9: Could I be experiencing PTSD?
  • Synopsis
Section 3: Building Your Action Plan
  • Introduction 
  • Be Your Self-Advocate 
  • Recovery Professionals 
  • Finding Professional Support 
  • PTSD Treatment 
  • Preferred PTSD Treatments 
  • Synopsis 
Section 4: Grieving, Mourning, Letting Go, and Moving Forward
  • Introduction 
  • Grieving 
  • Mourning 
  • Letting Go 
  • Moving Forward 
  • Synopsis 
Section 5: Come to terms with and recover from the impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic.

  • Introduction 165

  • The Impacts of COVID-19 on the Brain

    Brain Injury and COVID-19 

    • Cognitive Effects of COVID-19 

    • Chronic Pandemic Stress 

  • Stress Reduces our Cognitive Resources 

  • Are we stressed or just bored? 

    • There is hope. The brain can heal itself. 

    • Healthy Ways to Cope with Stress 

  • The Mass Trauma of the COVID-19 Pandemic 175
    Pandemic Trauma

    • Common Pandemic Trauma Reactions

    • The Risks of Untreated Pandemic Trauma

    • Signs of Pandemic Trauma

  • Treating Pandemic Trauma 

    • Preventing Future Pandemic Trauma

    • Acknowledging Pandemic Loss

    • Mourning and Grieving Pandemic Loss

  • Stigma and Prejudice

  • Quarantines and Isolation 

    • Pandemics Force New Ways to Resolve Conflict

  • Curiosity is Powerful

    • Learn to Fight Fair

    • Ten Ways to Resolve Conflict According to Psychology Research

  • Synopsis

Final Thoughts
  • Introduction 
  • Building and Maintaining Your Network 
  • Finding a Healthy Workplace 
  • Healthy Coping 
  • Monitoring for Signs of Potential Relapse 
  • Managing Setbacks with Compassion 
  • Synopsis 
References
  • Reference materials and sources
Index
  • Book index
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Recovering from Workplace PTSD

Recovering from Workplace PTSD Workbook

Workplace Mental Health Series Volume 2

Table of Contents

Section 1: Understanding Workplace Realities
  • Introduction
    • Workbook Exercise 1-3: Does my occupation increase my risk of developing PTSD?
  • Workplace Bullying, Harassment, and Discrimination
    • Workbook Exercise 1-1: Taking inventory of my workplace realities
  • Power Abusers Are in Positions of Authority
    • Workbook Exercise 1-2: Identifying my Power Abuser and the control tactics
  • Toxic Workplaces
    • Workbook Exercise 1-4: Am I experiencing a toxic workplace? 
  • Synopsis 
Section 2: Identifying Your Realities
  • Introduction 
  • What is PTSD?
  • Complex PTSD (C-PTSD)
  • Workbook Exercises 
    • Workbook Exercise 2-1: Understanding my situation
    • Workbook Exercise 2-2: Understanding my life situation
    • Workbook Exercise 2-3: Identifying my emotions
    • Workbook Exercise 2-4: Am I anxious?
    • Workbook Exercise 2-5: Am I depressed?
    • Workbook Exercise 2-6: Am I having obsessive-compulsive thoughts?
    • Workbook Exercise 2-7: Describing the traumatic event that bothers me the most
    • Workbook Exercise 2-8: Am I experiencing a trauma reaction?
    • Workbook Exercise 2-9: Could I be experiencing PTSD?
  • Synopsis
Section 3: Building Your Action Plan
  • Introduction
  • Recovery Professionals
    • The Broad Categories of Counselors
    • The Broad Categories of Psychotherapists
    • Career Counsellors
    • Life Coaches
    • Social Workers
    • Psychologists
    • Psychiatrists
  • Finding Professional Support
    • Step 1: Think About the Support You’re Looking For
    • Step 2: Gather Referrals
    • Step 3: Scheduling Your First Meeting
    • Step 4: Ask Questions
    • Step 5: Build a Professional Working Relationship 
  • Workbook Exercises
    • Workbook Exercise 3-1: Building your coping strategies
    • Workbook Exercise 3-2: Five important questions to ask yourself
    • Workbook Exercise 3-3: Defining your S.M.A.R.T. recovery goals
      Workbook Exercise 3-4: Build your wellness recovery action plan
      Workbook Exercise 3-5: How I would like support to be delivered
    • Workbook Exercise 3-6: Researching my preferred recovery resources
    • Workbook Exercise 3-7: Selecting three local professional support resources
    • Workbook Exercise 3-8: Reaching out and scheduling an initial consultation
  • PTSD Treatment Options
    • Medications
    • Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy
    • Anxiety Management
    • Emerging Treatments
    • Complementary Treatments
    • Preferred Treatments
  • Synopsis
Section 4: Grieving, Mourning, Letting Go, and Moving Forward
  • Introduction 
  • Grieving
  • Mourning
  • Workbook Exercises
    • Workbook Exercise 4-1: A conversation with your “inner child”
    • Workbook Exercise 4-2: What stage of grief am I in?
    • Workbook Exercise 4-3: Build your grieving self-care plan
    • Workbook Exercise 4-4: What stage of mourning am I in?
    • Workbook Exercise 4-5: Developing a new self-identity
  • Workbook Exercise 4-6: Managing a forced employment transition
  • Moving Forward
  • Synopsis 
Final Thoughts
  • Introduction
  • Workbook Exercises
    • Workbook Exercise 5-1: Healthy coping exercise
    • Workbook Exercise 5-2: PTSD relapse warning signs
    • Workbook Exercise 5-3: My relapse prevention plan
  • Finding a Healthy Workplace
    • Workbook Exercise 5-4: Healthy workplace checklist
  • Synopsis
References
  • Reference materials and sources
Index
  • Book index
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Recovering from Workplace PTSD Workbook

Recovering from Workplace PTSD Audiobook

Audiobook of Volume 1: Recovering from Workplace PTSD

Table of Contents

Section 1: Understanding Workplace Realities
  • Introduction
  • Abusive Workplaces
  • Dangerous Working Conditions 
  • Workplace Power Dynamics
  • Power Abusers Are in Positions of Authority
  • Workplace Bullying, Harassment, and Discrimination
  • Toxic Workplaces
  • Persistent Workplace Trauma
  • Workplace Grief Denial
  • Workplace Trauma Denial
  • Synopsis
Section 2: Identifying Your Realities
  • Introduction
  • What is PTSD?
  • Complex PTSD (C-PTSD)
  • Mental Health Issues Related to PTSD
  • The Brain and PTSD
  • The Health Impacts of PTSD
  • Additional PTSD Risk Factors
  • Synopsis
Section 3: Building Your Action Plan
  • Introduction
  • Be Your Self-Advocate
  • Recovery Professionals
  • Finding Professional Support
  • PTSD Treatment
  • Preferred PTSD Treatments
  • Synopsis
Section 4: Grieving, Mourning, Letting Go, and Moving Forward
  • Introduction
  • Grieving
  • Mourning
  • Letting Go
  • Moving Forward
  • Synopsis
Final Thoughts
  • Introduction
  • Building and Maintaining Your Network
  • Finding a Healthy Workplace
  • Monitoring for Signs of Potential Relapse
  • Managing Setbacks with Compassion
  • Synopsis
References
  • Reference materials and sources
Index
  • Book index
Order Now
Preview Sample
Recovering from Workplace PTSD Audiobook

“A fantastic resource for mental health professionals working with PTSD survivors. Filled with useful information and powerful techniques.”



Patrick Russel, Life Coach

Testimonials