Book Review
Beyond Trauma: Conversations on Traumatic Incident Reduction
Victor R. Volkman (Ed.) (2004) Ann Arbor, MI:
Loving Healing Press

             Reviewed by: Edith Henderson Grotberg, Ph.D.

[Edith Henderson Grotberg is the President of the International Council of Psychologists, Adjunct Professor of the Institute for Mental Health Initiatives at GWU, and author of more than ten books.]

Traumatic Incident Reduction (TIR), simply stated, operates on the principle that a permanent resolution of a case requires anamnesis (recovery of repressed memories), rather than mere catharsis or coping.  To understand why clients have to achieve an anamnesis in order to resolve past trauma, we must take a person-centered  viewpoint, i.e., the client's viewpoint and, from that viewpoint, explain what makes trauma traumatic.  (p. 2)

TIR is a brief, one-on-one, non-hypnotic, person-centered, simple and highly structured method for permanently eliminating the negative effects of past traumas.  It involves repeated viewing of a traumatic memory under conditions designed to enhance safety and minimize distractions.  The client does the most important work in the session; the therapist or counselor offers no interpretations or negative or positive evaluations, but only gives appropriate instructions to the client to have him view a traumatic incident thoroughly from beginning to end.  Hence, we use the term "viewer" to describe the client and "facilitator" to describe the person who is helping the client through the procedure by keeping the structure of the session intact and giving the viewer something definite to do at all times.  The facilitator confines herself simply to giving a series of set instructions to the viewer, she offers no advice, interpretations, evaluations, or reassurances.  (p. 246)

The technique is seen as simple and can be taught through training sessions to a range of service providers - including psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, pastors, and even lay people.  It is what is behind the technique that is interesting.  The founder of the TIR method, Frank A. Gerbode, M.D. Dr.  Gerbode makes a number of  points to clarify the uniqueness of the method:

1. It is quick.  This is important when large numbers of people have experienced a common tragedy and are suffering from PTSD.  The quick TIR method can be used by a wider range of professionals and
semi-professionals, and can be helpful to children as well as adults.
There is usually a shortage of trained people to deal with PTSD, especially in times of terror and violence, and the TIR method is seen
as a more efficient technique to resolve the trauma quickly.

2. It is client focused.  This is important as it is quite different from the therapist focused techniques used by most therapists.  They tend to feel they are in charge of helping the client, interpreting what is meant by what is being said, and deciding when success has occurred. It is interesting that Dr.  Gerbode, who is an M.D., has rejected the therapist and gone, more in harmony with Rogerian (Carl Rogers) techniques of letting the client take the lead.  I can remember when I was teaching a course in Abnormal Psychology, having a film on Rogers in action with a client, and there was a long pause when  nothing seemed to be happening.  My students became nervous and began to laugh.  When the film ended, I stood up and explained that Rogers was waiting for the client to provide the information in response to his reflecting to her what she had been saying.  We don't like spaces of silence!

3. It is energy focused.  The assumption is that an emotion is blocked and can't be released.  This is quite close to the Eastern practices focusing on energy blocks and the wonderful recommended exercises  to release the blockage.  Dr.  Gerbode makes a clear claim he has drawn from many sources to develop TIR.

There are no follow-up data beyond personal reports to indicate how effective the technique is over time.  This would be a highly desirable effort to undertake.

My kudos go to Editor Victor Volkman, who took on the task of reaching more than 25 people to contribute to the book, including interviews with many of them.  And the examples of cases the  contributors provide offer a rich range of how the TIR technique has worked with a wide range of clients.

Anyone who has edited a book knows the trials and tribulations of getting on-time submissions, approvals, and responses to editorial questions.  Volkman has done all of this and is still excited by the work.  If you are interested in reading the book or taking a training session, you may contact the following: