frequently asked questions about materials
1. What materials are required to implement Seeking Safety?
For clinical use, only the Seeking Safety book is required and all else is optional. The Seeking Safety book includes all of the counselor instructions as well as all of the client handouts that are needed to conduct the model. All counselors need their own book, from they can photocopy the client handouts for their own clients. You can order the book from our store or on amazon.com (although all other Seeking Safety materials can only be ordered from us). Optional materials include Seeking Safety translations, card deck, poster, training videos; on-site training; phone consultation; HIV guide, etc. All of these were developed based on feedback from clinicians who indicated that these would be helpful. See the Store for information.
Seeking Safety was designed to help meet the public health need for a low-cost treatment. Lisa's goal was to create an easy-to-implement model that is sensitive to the often-limited resources of many clients and programs. It has been shown in over 20 years of implementation that it is an extremely safe model even when just the book is used. However, if Seeking Safety is being conducted for research purposes, additional requirements exist for fidelity monitoring and formal training. See Frequently Asked Questions About Research.
2. Are the Seeking Safety materials public domain (free)?
Sorry, no-- they are copyrighted and the copyright is owned by Guilford Press. However, they are quite low cost; for pricing, visit our Store or amazon.com (or in Canda, amazon.ca).
3. Can I copy the handouts?
The short version: each counselor (or other facilitator) using Seeking Safety needs their own copy of the book, from which copies can be made for that person's clients. Guilford Press also has a licensing option (see below) and, as of 2021, has an electronic option; see our books page.
The long version: Guilford Press, which owns the Seeking Safety book copyright, offers the following description of how the book handouts can be copied: "An individual (1 person) can use the handouts without writing for permission. However, a clinic (or agency, program, institution) does not qualify as the 'individual purchaser.' The Limited Duplication License of the publisher (which is also printed inside the Seeking Safety book) is quite specific about what can and can not be done. For clinics or multiple users we ask that they write for permission and tell us how many clinicians would use how many books. If it's only 2 or 3 we might approve this at no charge; otherwise we assess a small licensing fee or ask that they purchase additional copies of the book for multiple users. Part of the reasoning is we want clinicians to have all the necessary background information included in the text when using the handouts." For inquiries on this, contact [email protected] or 800-365-7006. If you do not get a reply, contact us for assistance.
4. Is there an electronic version of the book? Is there a separate version of the handouts or separate workbook version?
Yes as of June 2021, Guilford Press, the publisher that owns the copyright, offers an e-book (PDF) of Seeking Safety and you can print out the handouts from that. Read all about it on our books page. However, there is no separate publication that has just the handouts as the publisher believes the handouts need to be used in conjunction with the clinician guidelines and thus do not want to separate them. Note: there is also an electronic, abridged version of the book for the blind and dyslexic, for qualified individuals (www.rfbd.org and also Bookshare).
5. Can I adapt the Seeking Safety book?
Please note that Seeking Safety is very flexible and if you try it out directly with your clients it will likely go just fine. For example, it is common to use the term trauma rather than PTSD and to use language and examples relevant to your population. If you'd like additional help to consider how to apply it for your specific population, consultation or training is an option. If, however, you want to create, circulate, publish, research, or distribute a changed version of Seeking Safety or parts of it (specific handouts), that is not allowed without advanced written permission as the book is copyrighted. Guilford Press owns the copyright and they rarely provide such permission. Another option is to work with our team to create an addendum to Seeking Safety; see the Seeking Safety HIV Guide, the Adolescent Toolkit for Seeking Safety, and the Seeking Safety Christian Guide for examples of those. Contact us if you are interested in that option and we'll be happy to talk through how that works.
6. What languages has the book been translated into?
See our Translations page-- the book has been translated into many languages including Spanish, French, German, Dutch, Polish, Chinese, Italian, Greek, Swedish (handouts only), Vietnamese (a few topics and handouts only), and Portuguese (a few topics and handouts only). Japanese and Arabic are underway. See the Store for information. If you are interested in translating the book, see the Translations page, which has detailed information on that-- we are happy to help. Please note that you will need advance written permission from Guilford Press, which we can help facilitate.
7. Is the book updated for DSM-5?
Although the book is not currently updated for DSM-5 criteria, this impacts just 2 pages of the 400-page book: the top half of page 118 (PTSD criteria) and page 151 (substance use disorder criteria). You can simply replace these with updated criteria updated criteria for PTSD and for substance use disorder. Within a few years there will also be a new edition of Seeking Safety but the exact timing is not clear as yet. In the meantime please know that all of the chapters and coping skills do remain current. Also Lisa's most recent book may be of interest to you. It was published in 2019 called Finding Your Best Self. It is a completely separate model from Seeking Safety but also addresses trauma and/or addiction.
For clinical use, only the Seeking Safety book is required and all else is optional. The Seeking Safety book includes all of the counselor instructions as well as all of the client handouts that are needed to conduct the model. All counselors need their own book, from they can photocopy the client handouts for their own clients. You can order the book from our store or on amazon.com (although all other Seeking Safety materials can only be ordered from us). Optional materials include Seeking Safety translations, card deck, poster, training videos; on-site training; phone consultation; HIV guide, etc. All of these were developed based on feedback from clinicians who indicated that these would be helpful. See the Store for information.
Seeking Safety was designed to help meet the public health need for a low-cost treatment. Lisa's goal was to create an easy-to-implement model that is sensitive to the often-limited resources of many clients and programs. It has been shown in over 20 years of implementation that it is an extremely safe model even when just the book is used. However, if Seeking Safety is being conducted for research purposes, additional requirements exist for fidelity monitoring and formal training. See Frequently Asked Questions About Research.
2. Are the Seeking Safety materials public domain (free)?
Sorry, no-- they are copyrighted and the copyright is owned by Guilford Press. However, they are quite low cost; for pricing, visit our Store or amazon.com (or in Canda, amazon.ca).
3. Can I copy the handouts?
The short version: each counselor (or other facilitator) using Seeking Safety needs their own copy of the book, from which copies can be made for that person's clients. Guilford Press also has a licensing option (see below) and, as of 2021, has an electronic option; see our books page.
The long version: Guilford Press, which owns the Seeking Safety book copyright, offers the following description of how the book handouts can be copied: "An individual (1 person) can use the handouts without writing for permission. However, a clinic (or agency, program, institution) does not qualify as the 'individual purchaser.' The Limited Duplication License of the publisher (which is also printed inside the Seeking Safety book) is quite specific about what can and can not be done. For clinics or multiple users we ask that they write for permission and tell us how many clinicians would use how many books. If it's only 2 or 3 we might approve this at no charge; otherwise we assess a small licensing fee or ask that they purchase additional copies of the book for multiple users. Part of the reasoning is we want clinicians to have all the necessary background information included in the text when using the handouts." For inquiries on this, contact [email protected] or 800-365-7006. If you do not get a reply, contact us for assistance.
4. Is there an electronic version of the book? Is there a separate version of the handouts or separate workbook version?
Yes as of June 2021, Guilford Press, the publisher that owns the copyright, offers an e-book (PDF) of Seeking Safety and you can print out the handouts from that. Read all about it on our books page. However, there is no separate publication that has just the handouts as the publisher believes the handouts need to be used in conjunction with the clinician guidelines and thus do not want to separate them. Note: there is also an electronic, abridged version of the book for the blind and dyslexic, for qualified individuals (www.rfbd.org and also Bookshare).
5. Can I adapt the Seeking Safety book?
Please note that Seeking Safety is very flexible and if you try it out directly with your clients it will likely go just fine. For example, it is common to use the term trauma rather than PTSD and to use language and examples relevant to your population. If you'd like additional help to consider how to apply it for your specific population, consultation or training is an option. If, however, you want to create, circulate, publish, research, or distribute a changed version of Seeking Safety or parts of it (specific handouts), that is not allowed without advanced written permission as the book is copyrighted. Guilford Press owns the copyright and they rarely provide such permission. Another option is to work with our team to create an addendum to Seeking Safety; see the Seeking Safety HIV Guide, the Adolescent Toolkit for Seeking Safety, and the Seeking Safety Christian Guide for examples of those. Contact us if you are interested in that option and we'll be happy to talk through how that works.
6. What languages has the book been translated into?
See our Translations page-- the book has been translated into many languages including Spanish, French, German, Dutch, Polish, Chinese, Italian, Greek, Swedish (handouts only), Vietnamese (a few topics and handouts only), and Portuguese (a few topics and handouts only). Japanese and Arabic are underway. See the Store for information. If you are interested in translating the book, see the Translations page, which has detailed information on that-- we are happy to help. Please note that you will need advance written permission from Guilford Press, which we can help facilitate.
7. Is the book updated for DSM-5?
Although the book is not currently updated for DSM-5 criteria, this impacts just 2 pages of the 400-page book: the top half of page 118 (PTSD criteria) and page 151 (substance use disorder criteria). You can simply replace these with updated criteria updated criteria for PTSD and for substance use disorder. Within a few years there will also be a new edition of Seeking Safety but the exact timing is not clear as yet. In the meantime please know that all of the chapters and coping skills do remain current. Also Lisa's most recent book may be of interest to you. It was published in 2019 called Finding Your Best Self. It is a completely separate model from Seeking Safety but also addresses trauma and/or addiction.