Challenging self-harm through transformation of the trauma story

The case for sexual anorexia: An interim report on 144 patients with sexual disorders

“…Sex addicts come from rigidly disengaged families in which other family members are addicts (Earle, Crow, & Osbourne, 1989;Carnes, 1991). They also report substantial histories of abuse including sexual (Schwarz & Galperin, 1996; Carnes & Delmonico, 1996;Miller, 1996;Tedesco & Bola, 1997), and they manifest other addictive and compulsive behaviors. Finally, there is profound despair at being able to stop their behavior.…”

Integration of Alcohol and Other Drug, Trauma and Mental Health Services

“…For women with the three tightly interconnected problems of trauma, AOD and mental health disorders, services should be gender-specific (Bevett-Mills, 2000;Blanch et al, 1994), trauma-specific (Miller, 1990(Miller, , 1994(Miller, , 1996Miller & Guidry, 2001;Harris, 1994Harris, , 1998Harvey, 1991), culturally sensitive (Oysterman et al, 1994), multidisciplinary, comprehensive, and coordinated to address the broad range of their needs (Alexander & Muenzenmaier, 1998). The Franklin County Women and Violence Project (FCWVP) is an innovative community-based intervention for women with histories of trauma and co-occurring AOD and mental health disorders living in a rural community that attempts to address the deficiencies in the existing service system through individual-and systems-level service integration strategies.…”

“…To be effective, interventions must be able to respond to the variety of personal, sociocultural, environmental, and interpersonal exigencies of individual women's lives (Harvey, 1996;Lebowitz et al, 1993). Women benefit from a treatment philosophy based on (a) competency building and empowerment; services and supports provided in safe, accessible and community-based locations (Alexander & Muenzenmaier, 1998); (b) mutual relationships built on trust, understanding and respect (Bassuk et al, 1998;Miller, 1990Miller, , 1994Miller, , 1996Miller & Guidry, 2001;Prescott, 1998;Harris & Landis, 1997;Deegan, 1995;Unzicker, 1995); (c) the establishment and maintenance of safety (Hedges, 2000;Noble, 1999;Begley, 1998;Najavits et al, 1998;Talbott et al, 1998); and (d) trauma-specific treatment (Miller, 1990(Miller, , 1994(Miller, , 1996Miller & Guidry, 2001;Harris & Landis, 1997;Harvey, 1991).…”

“…Women with co-occurring alcohol and other drug (AOD) and mental health disorders and histories of violence present unique challenges to service providers who are often ill equipped to adequately deal with the multiple issues in these women's lives and are seldom aware of the women's trauma histories (Miller, 1996;Miller & Guidry, 2001;Commonwealth Fund, 1997;Levin & Blanch, 1998;Browne & Bassuk, 1997;Carlson et al, 1997;Harris & Landis, 1997;Carmen et al, 1996). Services are generally fragmented, poorly organized or nonexistent (Blanch & Levin, 1998).…”

Seeing Beyond the Scars: A Testament to "Anna"

“…Self-harm may alter the dissociative process in two ways: the physical pain of self-harm may serve to avoid dissociating or it may cause or coincide with a dissociative state in order to avoid the current emotional distress. Miller (1996) suggested that self-harm itself serves the function of a calming relationship for the individuals who use it, which may be a response to the social isolation common among those who self harm. …”