Am I Bad? Recovering from Abuse (New Horizons in Therapy)

The reviewers are correct when they say it is meant more for clinicians. I was looking for something a little more self-help. It still had some good points and gave me things to consider as I try to help someone I love.

Many thanks to Dr. Ewart for an informative book, from so many angles on the subject of abuse. I assure you that whatever you may be dealing with, this book will certainly speak to it. Once you find yourself, be sure to go to the Word of God for final answers.

This was an excellent read. To bad I left it in the lounge at my car dealership. I have not seen it since. I plan to purchase another copy. Definitely a good read.

Great book

I used to be a social worker. It is an unfortunate fact of life that abuse is prevalent today, and has been for some time. I do know that things have changed slightly for the better, as understanding of the effects of abuse have significantly improved. That said, much remains to be done.Perhaps one of the toughest parts of dealing with clients, abused, abuser, and family members of both; is getting them to understand the far reaching consequences of abuse. The author, Heyward Ewart III, does an excellent job of illustrating just what some of these consequences are for all involved. Through the use of case studies, discussion and review of psychological theory, and information of on-going research; the author offers hope of healing and working through the abuse for all involved.There are numerous tests, checklists and questionnaires included. These are extremely useful to the layperson, qualified counselor, student and family members. Anyone in the field of psychotheraphy or counseling will find this book extremely helpful. Some of the areas, of course, are simply review of theory and information already known widely. But even for the long-term counselor there is new information to be gleaned. I consider this work to be an important new addition to the field of study of abuse. If you have a family member who has suffered abuse, or been abused yourself, you will find much here to help you.I admire the author's ability to speak to all levels of interested people who will be reading this book. I think no one will be confused, or feel that he is talking "down" to you, or dumbing down the info to make it easier to understand. His forthright manner and detailed writing style will make this book informative and useful to anyone in the field or with an interest in the long term effects of abuse.It is definitely a book that will be referred to again and again by all users. I look forward to reading additional material by this author.

A tour de force of the tortured landscape of child abuse and its pernicious long-term outcomes. Numerous case studies are expertly intertwined with theoretical insights to produce the equivalent of a comprehensive and unconventional treatment modality. The author demonstrates the direct and indirect pathways from single or multiple identity-shaping events of sexual, physical, and psychological maltreatment in childhood to self-abuse and the preponderance of self-destructive and self-defeating behaviors in later adult life. Equally, certain personality disorders are known to be the sad consequences of child abuse. Social phenomena such as domestic violence and delinquency inevitably follow. Those who are supposed to tackle such malignant outgrowths - most notably mental health practitioners and social workers - are rarely up to the task. This book is an important contribution towards the edification of victims and institutions alike. Sam Vaknin, author of "Malignant Self Love - Narcissism Revisited"

"What if I didn't take that piece of candy?" "What if I hadn't walked down that street?" "What if my skirt was longer?" "What if I didn't look at her twice?" "What if ...?" The list and questions go on to an infinite number of possibilities.Am I Bad? Recovering from Abuse tackles "blame the victim" and "self-blame" mentalities exceedingly commonplace in today's society.It's part of the game for an abuser to make his/her victim feel responsible for the abuse.Am I Bad? goes through the gamut of different types of abuse offering real life case studies, tests, warning signs and definitions of each type. This includes some many would not even think were abuse.It's an unfortunate reality that abuse is more in the media. While I don't doubt the amount of abusers/victims has changed over history, the level of report has risen. Mostly, I am grateful to say, to the conscientious eye of neighbours, media attention to teaching self-protective behaviours.I believe it is crucial to start early with teaching any age victim that it is NOT their fault. Some success has been reached with this through such events as Canada's Slutwalk that went global in a week and now held all around the country, Take back the night rallies, and programs like USA's Be The Change and Australia's Love Bites to name a few.More effort is needed and Am I Bad? certainly takes a large step in the right direction.

Will def help you gain a vocabulary for what happened to you.

Great book