Child Abuse Trauma Theory and Treatment of the Lasting Effects by John (Neale) Briere

This book is the best this practitioner has seen for its practical definitions and concrete suggestions. At the same time, it reviews what research there is and notes the many areas in need of further study. . . . The controversial use of hypnosis for the recovery of repressed memories and gender differences in reaction to abuse are particularly well covered. I recommend this book for all practitioners and educators. --Mary J. Coe, review in The American Journal of Family Therapy "I found this both remarkably informative (the book provides an excellent synthesis of current literature on child abuse research) and liberating when thinking about past and present clients. Briere has a special talent for making sense of the internal experience of child abouse survivors. An excellent book which should be on the bookshelf of counsellors or therapists working with adolescents or adults. " --Peter Yeo in Counselling Researchers and clinicians in the child abuse field have tended to specialize in one form of maltreatment, rather than examining the interrelationship between the various types of abuse and neglect. In response to this fragmentation, Child Abuse Trauma offers a fresh perspective that considers unique and overlapping long-term effects of all major forms of child abuse and neglect. From sexual and physical abuse to maltreatment by alcoholic or drug-addicted parents, from the exploration of solutions to the parameters of treatment, this enlightening volume outlines complex ways in which abuse impacts later psychosocial functioning. Briere reframes traditional notions of psychopathology and describes with optimism and compassion treatment approaches to abuse-related posttraumatic stress, interpersonal dysfunction, self-destructive behavior, impaired self-reference, and borderline personality disorder. This thought-provoking and important volume will be an invaluable tool for abuse specialists and general therapists who want to understand the connection between many forms of psychological distress and the lasting impacts of child maltreatment. Students in the fields of psychology, victimology, family studies, gender studies, and sociology will also benefit from this book. "John N. Briere has written an important and eminently readable book. As any clinician can attest, without appropriate intervention, hurt children often grow up to be hurt adults. This book describes a process by which former child victims of maltreatment--adult survivors--can move beyond the trauma and long-term negative sequelae of their experiences. Unlike many professionals, who tend to focus on a specific area of child maltreatment (e.g., adult survivors of sexual abuse, physical abuse), Briere presents a model that clinicians will find useful regardless of the type of maltreatment experienced by the client." --Families in Society "The book is well written and provides a thorough integration of research and theory in the area. It is an excellent reference guide for clinicians and may be useful for scholars in the social sciences as well. The content is compassionate and elucidating as the author sets out to debunk myths surrounding victims of child maltreatment. Briere makes a strong case for therapy centering around survivors′ strengths rather than focusing on individual psychopathology. . . . Child Abuse Trauma is an excellent overview of an abuse perspective. Briere is objective and is careful to discuss potential drawbacks to abuse-oriented therapy." --Contemporary Psychology "This book is, among other things, an excellent reference guide. . . . Dr. Briere′s special talent is in making sense of the internal experience of child abuse survivors. He helps us understand that much of what seems pathological is really creative, albeit ultimately dysfunctional strategies for survival." --from the Foreword by Lucy Berliner "Major forms of child abuse, i