Treating the Patient with a Traumatic Past: A Guide for Clinicians - Paperback

by Patricia E. Moyer (Author)

Drawing from neuropsychological research, Treating the Patient with a Traumatic Past offers ten compelling chapters aimed at educating healthcare professionals-including physicians, osteopaths, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and nurses-on the lasting impact of early-life violence on physical and mental health. Each chapter explores how childhood maltreatment can shape a person's health, personality, behavior, and relationships.

Designed to bridge theory and practice, the book introduces key concepts and evidence-based insights to help clinicians recognize and respond to the complex needs of trauma survivors. To make these ideas tangible, each chapter includes 1-3 case studies that illustrate real-world clinical encounters and the challenges and rewards of trauma-informed care.

Survivors of childhood violence are not rare in medical settings. Their histories may make them more complex to treat, but with greater understanding and empathy, clinicians can offer care that is both effective and deeply meaningful. This book encourages practitioners to look beyond symptoms and diagnoses, and to consider the deeper stories that shape their patients' lives.

Author Biography

Dr. Patricia E. Moyer, M.D. practiced full-time internal medicine for over 44 years in various locations throughout the Boston area. Now semi-retired, she continues to mentor and precept residents. From the beginning of her career and throughout its duration, she integrated the teaching of medical students and residents into her daily practice. A year-long weekly Rabkin Fellowship in 1994-1995, focused on effective teaching and developed at Beth Israel Medical Center in Boston, served as a major impetus for writing this book.

Together with her husband, she raised three children and now enjoys engaging with them as their lives unfold.