Psychotherapist, hypnotherapist, and educator Muriel Prince Warren DSW ACSW is the author of the book “From Trauma to Transformation,” which she wrote back in 2005. It was published by Crown House Publishing on October 31st, 2005. In this 340 page-long book, Dr. Muriel Prince Warren explores the desperate need to address the lingering trauma and devastating emotional residue still affecting the thousands of Americans who, four years prior to the book’s conception, witnessed the horrific9/11 terrorist attacks that toppled the World Trade Center – the infamous day America was robbed of all sense of safety and security forever.
The terrorists have succeeded in their ultimate goal to strike fear and terror into the very heart of America itself, permanently altering cultural perceptions and mental states in and of the very minds of its people, and forever changing the way the nation functions and exists as a whole. The immense build-up of mounting stress and paranoia in the collective minds of the people as terror and shock crippled the nation to the very core caused irreparable damage to the physical and mental health of countless Americans nationwide, leaving many with lasting scars that impede their quality of life to this day.
Prior to 2001, wars weren’t fought on US soil. The chillingly haunting idea that the enemy had infiltrated such a great, secure nation and attacked it from within its own borders sent shivers down the nation’s spine, and many Americans were profoundly affected by the breach of security in their country and on their own personal safety, generating widespread emotions ranging from minor anxiety to sheer terror and a dreading sense of impending doom.
Simply watching the televised media-coverage of 9/11, witnessing the nationwide panic that ensued, and internalizing the horrifying implications of our fellow countrymen’s final desperate moments was more than enough for certain individuals who did not even live near the attacks to develop clinically diagnosable stress reactions – much more so for people who did. 9/11 carried with it, like all other tragic events, many psychological consequences, one of which being the most prominent is a post-traumatic stress disorder. PTSD includes sleep disturbance, anger management problems, lack of motivation, flashbacks, and/or other effects – and it could be highly deteriorating and debilitating to the quality of one’s life if left unaddressed and untreated.
When all government, travel, and military regulations changed, it made the feeling of permanent damage even greater to some – it was hard for many to accept that the world around them was forever affected and would never be the same. The United States is a seemingly impenetrable world power and mighty nation, whose only comparable national tragedy in its military history was the attack on Pearl Harbor, mourning and grieving in a scramble to recompose itself from such a severe blow to national security. The Al-Qaeda terrorists struck deep into the very mind of the American population. At the time when Dr. Muriel Prince Warren wrote “From Trauma to Transformation,” the wounds were all too fresh, and many Americans still hadn’t received the treatment and help that they so desperately needed, leaving some to live out the rest of their lives in fear, robbed of their right to enjoy genuine peace. Others battled drug addiction, contemplated suicide, looked behind their back wherever they went and ceased to live normal lives to their fullest capacity, mere shells of the people they once were.
In the midst of an overwhelming national tragedy, the years after saw an obvious and recurring pattern of unchecked psychological trauma in many Americans, and the need for healing was urgent. The immediate aftermath saw many behavioral scientists and therapists lending a hand to the general population, offering an ear to listen to and a voice to relate with, even though it wasn’t easy to simply just “talk about it” when it was so recent. There was no shortage of shrinks and psychologists in New York City at the time, and despite their abundance, very few active firemen and policemen responded well to the concept of debriefing sessions and continued their duties no matter what they were battling inside. They simply couldn’t take a day off to worry about their own health when they could’ve been down at ground zero helping their fellow countrymen.
In Warren’s book, she discusses with pinpoint accuracy the responses and reactions that damaged and traumatized individuals undergo in the process of grieving and healing, as well as the innovative utilization of hypnotherapy to help victims begin self-actualization in hopes of regaining their happiness, their lives, and their drive to keep on living. In the post 9/11 world, the devastating effects of trauma can lead to Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, and Muriel Warren’s book serves as a brief survey of brain research and its implications as well as an extensive guide for maneuvering the world of trauma in the pursuit of self-acceptance.
Overall, Warren’s critically-acclaimed book stands the test of time. Over a decade after the world was shaken to its core by a ruthless terrorist attack on September 11th, this book still offers highly relevant and extremely important information that modern-day psychotherapists in the world of trauma still utilize this day – which is a testament to the significant and relevant milestones reached in the behavioral science that was spurred by the desperation of an entire nation – a professional action plan and psychological healing-guide, derived out of necessity in a time of great adversity and tragedy. This book is a symbol of the resilience of mankind’s ability to overcome struggle as a nation and heal past deep-seated trauma on a massive scale – it shows us that, it times of extreme negativity and hopelessness, humanity has a penchant for relocating effort and resources to support the healing of a nation, from the very core where they were damaged.
In conclusion, Dr. Muriel Prince Warren’s “From Trauma to Transformation” is a well-rounded and highly thought-invoking piece of behavioral science literature, allowing readers to ponder on the lifesaving contributions that the world’s leading professionals in the field of trauma resolution had developed in the past decade following the attacks. Aside from this, the true stories and testimonies of patients and professionals discussing their trauma, salvation, and self-actualization in relation to the turn of world events serve as a highly therapeutic and self-reassuring read in itself – a must-read for any professional therapist in the pursuit of trauma reduction, as well as a deeply-beneficial guide for readers with interest in self-healing beyond the confines of trauma.
Dr. Muriel Prince Warren’s “From Trauma to Transformation” is available for purchase here at https://www.amazon.com/Trauma-Transformation-Muriel-Prince-Warren/dp/1904424902 – support the author by buying a copy of her book today! This book review was made possible by www.readersmagnet.com.