A Much Needed Perspective on PTSD

I am the wife of a Viet Nam veteran and we are both struggling mightily with the effects of his delayed PTS. I have my own bookshelf with the PTS 'classics', but Duncan Sinclair's book is the first I have encountered to acknowledge, discuss and address the spiritual wound of trauma.

Sinclair was a two tour chaplain in Viet Nam and suffered life altering effects of PTS himself following being called to assist the wounded and dying after the Tet Offensive. He is also a degreed therapist. Though his own suffering was war related, he fully identifies and relates to trauma by other causes.

As anyone who has lived with or undergone treatment for trauma will understand, there is more to PTS than healing the mental and emotional wounds. Many survivors see improvement but are left helpless with residual effects. For the first time, I have came to see there is also a spiritual wound that co-exists and must also be addressed for real healing to occur. While psychology is making great inroads into identifying and treating PTS, it cannot address the spiritual wound.

This book is for anyone with PTS who has done the work and has seen improvement but can't understand why they remain affected; for wives, children and families who also suffer the effects of trauma in loved ones; for professionals who treat trauma and have the courage to admit part of this wound remains beyond the reach of science and who have the compassion to desire deeper understanding of their patient's ongoing pain; for all ministers or pastors who do not know how to respond when confronted by persons wounded by trauma; for anyone who is researching PTS in addition to the better known trauma titles as this will not conflict with accepted information on trauma it will add to it.

Sinclair's book is very readable, concise and not complicated. The subtitle, 'A Pastoral Response...' is apt - though I would add the word 'Intelligent'. The title, Horrific Traumata, frightened me a bit as I dread reading books that endlessly recall detailed horrors of traumas but Sinclair does not do more than give a few apt examples to set the stage for discussion. Also, some books on trauma I find to be less-than-helpful personal purges for those who seek recovery but are stuck in the past - not so here. If you fear that a Christian minister's approach to PTS might be trite or an evangelical's sales job, I assure you will not find those things here. Sinclair has done a brilliant job of being survivor, therapist and pastor in one whole professional yet spiritual man. Non-Christians will not feel threatened by this book yet believing Christians will see the root of real healing.

I feel this book was well worth the high price and consider it an important and unique read for the hurting.

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