The PTSD Survival Guide for Teens: Strategies to Overcome Trauma, Build Resilience, and Take Back Your Life

Editorial Reviews

“Based on the finest scientific evidence available, this survival guide for teens with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an outstanding resource for those who are exposed to violence and traumatic events. It’s an exceptional book for its clarity and for its readability. Therapists, parents, and teens themselves will benefit from including this guide in their efforts to overcome trauma and PTSD. This belongs in every therapist’s resource library. It is a rich toolbox for successful care for teens with PTSD.”

—Terence M. Keane, PhD, director of the behavioral science division of the National Center for PTSD, and professor and assistant dean of research at the Boston University School of Medicine

“This book by a psychologist/mother and daughter team speaks clearly and wisely to teens (and their parents) about the expectable but often otherwise misunderstood aftermath of experiencing traumatic stressors. By blending state-of-the-art research and therapeutic insights with the voices of teens, this book provides a refreshing and very useful guide to resilience in the wake of trauma.”

—Julian D. Ford, PhD, ABPP, professor of psychiatry and law, director of the Center for Trauma Recovery and Juvenile Justice, director of the Center for the Treatment of Developmental Trauma Disorders, and associate editor of the Journal of Trauma & Dissociation and the European Journal of Psychotraumatology

“Sheela Raja and Jaya Ashrafi have crafted an exceptionally well done and timely book that will no doubt be an invaluable resource and comfort to teen survivors of trauma. For far too long, the trauma self-help literature has been geared toward an exclusively adult audience and we have neglected the needs of teenagers who are similarly afflicted, and we have failed to support their efforts to engage in adaptive self-care. The authors distill state-of-the-science treatment principles in an approachable, nontechnical format that teens will find accessible and engaging. Sheela Raja’s extensive research and clinical expertise with traumatic stress ensures that the advice offered is sound, and supported by the best available research. Jaya Ashrafi—a teen author—offers a perspective that is especially insightful, and ensures that the content is approachable and relevant for teen readers. Their combined efforts have yielded a critically important resource for teens impacted by trauma. I highly recommend it.”

—Matt J. Gray, PhD, professor of clinical psychology at the University of Wyoming; vice-chair of the Wyoming State Board of Psychology and the Wyoming Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault

“This is a necessary and ever so timely body of work. Now more than ever, our teens are exposed to trauma, whether in their personal lives, their communities, or through world events. Understanding PTSD in this context empowers teenagers, their parents, and professionals. The mother-daughter duo of Sheela Raja and Jaya Ashrafi together create a workbook that is informative, accessible, and practical. Jaya’s succinct perspectives provide a unique window into the mind of today’s teens. In total, this book engages the reader while promoting self-reflection, skill building, and resilience. A must-read for any adolescent who has experienced trauma.”

—Shairi R. Turner, MD, MPH, chief medical officer at Crisis Text Line