Hi there,
I'm just re-reading 'On Combat: The Psychology and Physiology of Deadly Conflict in War and in Peace' (fourth edition) by Dave Grossman and Loren Christensen.
What a book! It takes a comprehensive look at physiological changes due to battle conditions, including the impact on the nervous system, heart, breathing, visual and auditory perception and also memory. As such, it's a good reminder of how we're affected in times of acute (and sometimes chronic) stress.
It also features some research findings on what combatants can do to reduce such effects and stay functional, which is clearly relevant to encounters beyond the battlefield and, I would argue, especially in therapy.
It also features a brief look the evolution of combat and Grossman's concept of the "Bulletproof mind" (including post-battle emotions and thinking style, such as relief and self-blame). Again, I think this is directly relevant to therapy and speaks to the value of good, ongoing, clinical supervision for therapists (and more broadly clinical colleagues of any kind).
Overall, I'm finding it a very sobering and thoughtful read. It has lots of quotes from military minds across the ages and provides much needed food for thought when it comes to considering the overall impact of threatening situations upon the self and how we can work with this. Unsurprisingly, from a CFT perspective, it's very much about self to self relating as a primary vehicle for negotiating distress tolerance.
In particular I like the authors focus on the 'Peaceful Warrior' and how their attempt is not to glorify combat but, instead, remind the reader that most of us who find ourselves in threatening situations are typically there to try and help others and often, in one form or another, 'keep the peace'.
There's so much great reading out there, I'll keep you updated on anything else I think might be of interest but in the meantime…….
Peace out.
Syd
