Coping With Terrorism: Dreams Interrupted
By Carole Lieberman, M.D., M.P.H.

Al Qaeda has vowed revenge for the killing of Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi, promising "major attacks" to "shake the enemy. and rattle them out of sleep." Unnervingly, Al Qaeda is quite perceptive in recognizing that many of us in the Western world are still hiding under our covers, pretending to be asleep to the threat of terrorism. We want to close our eyes and make believe that our life has not changed since 9/11 and 7/7. But the sooner we face up to the insidiously damaging psychological and physical fallout, caused by past terrorist attacks as well as the looming specter of terrorism, the sooner we can take back control of our lives. Coping With Terrorism: Dreams Interrupted ends our silent suffering by exposing and explaining the dirty little secret underneath our mask of denial: we are indeed plagued by, what psychiatrist Dr. Carole Lieberman dubs, "Terrorist Stress Syndrome"!

This book guides the reader along a healing journey, to mend dreams that have been interrupted by terrorism: both our daydreams of cherished aspirations and our night dreams now clouded by nightmares. It begins with "The Terrorist Stress Test", opening the door for the reader to self-identify symptoms he had not yet connected to the surreptitious influence of terrorism. Chapter two, "What are we feeling? And why?" explores our emotions in greater detail: from abandoned to xenophobic. The next chapters analyze the impact of terrorism on the cornerstones of our existence: "Love and intimacy" and "Work and money". Subsequently, the reader discovers the keys to "Protecting our children" and "Protecting our teenagers". The following chapter, "Coping with Death: Loved Ones and Strangers", includes poignant interviews with John Taylor and John Falding, who each lost loved ones in the London terrorist attack of 7 July. "Psychological survival skills, gear and maps" provides the reader with the strategies he needs to protect himself emotionally, mentally, physically, and spiritually in the unexplored wilderness of today's world. And finally, "Planning for an uncertain future" includes an interview with Muffet Brown, the great-granddaughter of Titanic survivor Margaret ('the unsinkable Molly') Brown.

Instead of continuing to delude ourselves with the fraying notions that 'it can't happen here' (again), that someone else will rescue us, or that duct tape is the answer, it's best to open our hearts and minds to an honest appraisal of how living with the threat of terrorism has already altered our lives. Coping With Terrorism calms our fears of the ultimate monster in the closet, by turning on the light and answering questions we haven't dared ask out loud.

Literary Representation: Sharlene Martin
Martin Literary Management
Sharlene@MartinLiteraryManagement.com
1 (818) 595-1130