Abuse Books

it should be noted that this book is an informative page-turner that will not dissapoint! very unique in it's format of a dialogue between a mother and son; gripping in it's truth and dynamics. the style of writing is highly entertaining which differs from many other books on addiction or books that offer educational information. this book could be enjoyed equally as an informative, sometimes comedic read, or by those in search of insight individually or in academia. Similarly, would be an ideal reference for support of one's self, a family member, or peer. in the near future i would not be surprised to see this book used as a staple resource in psychology and health classes in high school and university institutes across the nation. a true MUST READ!

I put off buying this book, because I knew it would feel as if I were sitting in the Volkmann's living room. Someone else sent me the book and I read it. And, yes, I felt as if I were sitting in their living room. Toren's story is arresting (pun unavoidable). It is side-by-side with his mother's memories and heartily-researched chapters. Of course she wanted to know what happened. And right next to all of her memories of Toren's teen-aged years (interspersed with solid research on teen drinking) is Toren's version itself; often divergent; and always searingly honest. My first reaction was, "Scary stuff." It is. --Those teen years when secrecy and breaking away from parents are so paramount. --When parents are trying so hard to let their teens make decisions. --When ultimately, as Our Drink so aptly points out, parents may have to wait on the other side of a no-man's-land for them to emerge, while their teens grapple with the results of their own choices and their own behavior.

I read this in one sitting. Everyone connected with kids should probably have a copy and read it at whatever pace is comfortable. The dangers of binge-drinking are well-established in this book. I'm not sure binge-drinking is an epidemic or is pandemic, but if not one or the other, it may be perilously close -- among teens and on college campuses. It's not the only factor in youthful alcohol addiction, however, and the research in the book lays this out in easy-to-understand terms. We should all have a look at our heredity when it comes to imbibing.

Good book. Honest. Takes you between mother and son for their views on what happened... and why.

I stumbled across this book at an addictions conference in Montana. I was first mesmerized by the authors (Christina and Toren Volkmann) who have such a strong belief in their work and who have exposed the agony of addiction in such an open and educational manner. The book is a roller coaster ride, from heart-warming to heart-wrenching, every gritty detail of the road to alcohol dependence laid out through raw, fresh storytelling. The plot shifts between the mother-who is forced to hear the terrible news of her 23 year old son admitting himself to a rehabilitation program-and son, who tells gripping, lively stories of the years of his young life abusing alcohol until he comes to a life-changing crossroads. The candor is fascinating. The book also switches gears many times to talk more technically about alcohol abuse and the very latest alcohol and addiction research which is affecting the way our health and addictions professionals will treat and prevent this epidemic. As an educator myself, the readability of this book mixed with the well-researched facts makes this book a very desirable tool in the worlds of psychology, sociology, addictions counseling, public health, and drug and alcohol prevention areas. I feel like we will see this book as a learning resource in academia and counseling and treatment for a long time to come. Even away from academics, the quality of writing in this masterpiece of non-fiction cannot be overstated. It is an exciting page-turner for any age, family member, or friend. A truly amazing piece of work.

Our Drink: Detoxifying The Perfect Family is the personal testimony of a mother and son, and the son's struggle with alcoholism. The first time she learned of her son's sickness was when he telephoned her, just a year out of college and having served the Peace Corps, with news that he'd checked himself into an alcoholism rehabilitation program. Yet the seeds of his addiction had begun long ago; he was binge drinking as early as high school, and managed to keep his worsening dependency hidden from not only his parents, but also himself. In his own words, "I thought the problem with being alcoholic was you just drank a lot. I did that just fine and things were great. No one ever said, 'Dude, you're gonna start losing your money, your memory, and above all, your longevity and tolerance... and when you stop a mean bender you're going to be a fevering, shaky, paranoid, halfwit for a day or two who can't think, sleep, even relax or eat until withdrawals are over...' That page of my D.A.R.E. book must have been ripped out." A gripping, raw, and absolute testimony, highly recommended as an educational tool to show young people the dangers of alcohol and to reveal to parents how easy it is to miss the warning signs.

I recommend My Safety Plan to teachers, guidance counselors, social workers, psychologists, and anyone else who is involved with children. They should read this book to children, and encourage them to respond to the story. Asking children open-ended questions, such as, what the story reminds them of, provides an opportunity for children to share their experiences without feeling threatened. In this way, valuable information may be obtained.

Children learn about the world as they are exposed to new experiences. When they are introduced to new ideas, this increases their choices in life. I believe that My Safety Plan is a vehicle, by which many children, who are victims of domestic violence, may be able to develop a more conscious awareness of their circumstances. It can help them to realize that others are having similar experiences, and that assistance is available. This book exposes children to the idea that they can be proactive by creating a safety plan. This may help them feel that they have more control, and not feel so powerless.

I find this book to be a loving testament of how to survive the effects of a wound with which many of us have to live. This book is a tool/guide to help victims of domestic violence. It's written in English and Spanish, attempting to assist as many people as possible. This book is a treasure for family members, social workers, family psychologists who want to help themselves or those they love survive domestic violence in the least harmful way. The illustrations speak for themselves and through them, children in such families can identify the situation they are in. "Our Safety Plan" should be in personal and public libraries.

The Safety Plan provides the reader with basic but critical information for both former family victims and families at risk of Domestic Violence and Alcohol Abuse.
These easy-to-follow guidelines make the book accessible to even young readers right from the onset of an abusive encounter. This strategy enhances the safety of battered families in the community.

The services provided for these innocent victims are vital but the actions taken to stop future violence against them are equally important. Hence the uniqueness of The Safety Plan. By following Ms. Luna's critical steps, future violence will be stopped.

The author cleverly designed the book's cover to look like a children's story instead of a 'weapon' in order to distract the abuser from any interest in the book and thereby avoid any possible confrontation with victimized families.

By purchasing The Safety Plan, you are supporting Domestic Violence and Alcohol Abuse cause because all proceeds go directly to this worthy organization.

Tolstoy wrote, "All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way." Unfortunately, there are countless unhappy familes today that can trace their plight to two basic sources: domestic violence and alcohol. The victims are many, but children are the ones most affected: torn by feelings of confusion, fear, guilt and hopelessness. Our Safety Plan directly addresses the painful circumstances and emotions of children in troubled households. The book moves beyond understanding these feelings; it prescribes a program of action-- hence the "Safety Plan."

Our Safety Plan is a book that can make a real difference in the lives of children everywhere.

Mr. Nolen's book is an outstanding manual that is highly essential for all parents of teens. This book is highly organized, straightforward, and comprehensive in the area of drug education. His statistics are extremely reliable, coming from The National Institute of Health as well as The National Institute on Drug Abuse. Professionally,this book has been extremely helpful to me in my work with adolescents in a Northwest Suburban High School District in the Chicagoland area. It has also been helpful to me in parenting my own son. Mr. Nolen's book is informative, honest, and essential for the healthcare professional, educator, and parent for today's youth. Thank you, Mr. Nolen, for a much needed, easy to read, complete book for all of us!!

This book is a tremendous tool in detecting and identifying the use of controlled substances. I raised 6 children and I wish a book as detailed as this had been available. I have given the title of this book to everyone I know. I just want everyone to be informed of how easy it is to identify the many symtoms that drugs and alchol cause, the book provides not only the pictures but a step by step of the warning signs. As a parent I think that there should be more books that are geared to what's happening with our children.

Parents, Teens and Drugs, is one of the best parent training tools on the market today. I have found this book to be very informative and descriptive. This book gets down to the basics of what every parent needs to know about peer pressure and how it is used to manipulate a teenager into using alcohol or drugs. James Nolen has done an excellent job in informing parents of today's dangers surrounding our children with concerns to destructive types of behavior. I finally can now talk with my two teen boys about the negative affects that drugs have on one's life, and with this information they will be able to make the right choice to abstain from such destructive behaviors. I can't thank the author enough for getting envolved with parents, and helping us fight against alcohol and drug use. Thank You. ....

Parents, Teens, And Drugs presents an objective and highly informative examination of the timely subject of teens and illicit drug use designed specifically for concerned parents. Author Billy Nolen draws upon his extensive experience in law enforcement to demystify the "secret language" of drug use amongst teenagers, while explaining the common effects and symptoms of drug abuse in clear, concise, accessible, "reader friendly" text ideal for non-specialist general readers concerned with helping their adolescent son or daughter deal with the issues of alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, cocaine, heroin, LSD, amphetamine, etc. Parents, Teens, And Drugs is "must" reading for concerned parents and a very highly recommended addition to public library, community center library, and parent counseling center reference collections.

I hold a special admiration for authors who dare to cross the line. Writers who throw caution to the wind and allow their writing to be guided by honesty and raw realism tend to rocket straight up to my top ten authors list. Zane, E. Lynn Harris, Eric Jerome Dickey, Poppy Z. Brite, and now Lee Hayes.

Without apologizing for the in-your-face violence and sexual nature of his characters, Hayes takes us for an emotional ride, and you had better be strapped in tightly! PASSION MARKS begins by throwing readers into the middle of a horrific physical altercation between our hero, Kevin Davis, and his partner, James Lancaster. James is a hot-headed tyrant who flips his personality with the finesse of a breakfast chef flipping his pancakes. One minute, he is a caring companion, throwing compliments left and right, and the next minute, he is destroying the couple's furniture and throwing blows at Kevin.

Lee Hayes describes in explicit detail how James is able to seduce Kevin into his sticky web of abuse and keep him there. We are given private entrance into the sordid and manipulative world that James has trapped Kevin in, and we are introduced to Kevin's loyal friends, Danea, Daryl, and Tony, who find out about James' violent tendencies almost too late to make a difference.

The climactic ending to the novel was reminiscent of a high-budget Hollywood movie, and I was satisfied with all of the major plot resolutions. This reviewer is eager to begin the sequel to PASSION MARKS, which is entitled A DEEPER SHADE OF BLUE. If it is even half the quality of PASSION MARKS, it will be sure to please.

This is very powerful book that let's you explore abusive relationships in the SGL community. A lot of people are in disblief that DL people actual experience physical and mental abuse but it is very real. I personally know of young women and men that are still going through scared relationships from mistrust and violence. This book sheds light on physical abuse and why people stay with the abuser for years. The book will have you on the edge of your sit from the first page till the last. You will be surprised...it will reminds you of Addicted by Zane.

I will be the 1st to admit that I wasn't excited to read this book. True the cover is eye catching but to read about two men?
That ain't my cup of tea, but I am one who tries to keep an open mind and Loves to read!
I have to say this book blew me away.....it was surprisingly GOOD! A real page turner! Lee gives great insight into the life of Kevin Davis and has a way of making you feel apart of the story. You will fear for him, cry with him, and experience things that no person should. The story was raw with emotion yet tender at times. I found myself glued to the pages with anticipation as to what would happen next.
This is so much more than just a story of two men. One man driven by the need to be successful, powerful, and controlling and another who longed for forgiveness from beyond that was willing to live a life full of confusion, pain, and torment. Kevin was so intent on punishing himself for his sins in the past...he couldn't see past his guilt. Kevin almost paid the ultimate price to find out that he could do bad all by himself.
I can't wait to read the sequel A Deeer Blue : Passion Mark II.

This book describes the lives of many African American males but not discussed. I am astonished how Mr. Hayes was able to capture the lives of these victims into words and yet, allow healing at the same time.

Payback is the first book I have ever read cover to cover where I haven't wanted to miss a word! Each page left me needing to know wich direction Todd Black's gripping life was going to turn next. Payback is a strongly written tale of adversity and justice which left me wanting to pick it up for a second read. I highly recommend this fast pace novel for all.

Payback is the first book I have ever read cover to cover where I haven't wanted to miss a word! Each page left me needing to know wich direction Todd Black's gripping life was going to turn next. Payback is a strongly written tale of adversity and justice which left me wanting to pick it up for a second read. I highly recommend this fast pace novel for all.

This is most certainly one of the best books I have ever read in my entire life. The chilling detail used by the author entice the reader to forget their life, job, family, pet, everything, and keep reading and reading. I even found myself reading the book a second time, something I have never done before. If you are into realism and being shocked, buy this book, its incredible.

Payback comes accross as an easily read novel, that not only entises the reader to continue turning each page but draws you in to feeling for Mr. Todd Black, almost craving the sweet revenge for him and yourself. The incorporation of street lifestyles of the young Black and his peers compliments the novel and allows the reader to associate their own lifestyles (0r possibly they're past) and to see how the possible reality of this could eventuate, pulling you deeper into the phsyche of the infamous avenger. Payback is a novel that once you pick up - is hard to put back down, until all the wrath is dealt out! A novel that will entertain and captivate many a reader. This book kicks it in the zone!

Very expert and detailed account of the factors influencing the sexual abuse of children by priests and especially the pathological response of church leaders.

For those who wonder, "How could something like this happen?"--this fascinating, well-researched book provides the answers. And the book's simple, powerful cover graphic shows that sometimes you CAN judge a book by its cover.

For those who still have the stomach for this topic, and those who care about the future of the Catholic church in the USA this book is the most comprehensive, honest, and insightful set of answers, opinions and observations about what was likely the most shattering period in the history of the church in the USA..Frawley-O'Dea has gone further and dug deeper into the data to form her conclusions. She has built on the discoveries and research and insights of others, yet drawn her own conclusions. In my opinion the future of the priesthood rests in her conclusions.

This is the book that connects the dots on the sexual abuse crises in the Catholic church. It helps one to understand how such a thing might have happened, giving the history of the church.
I highly recommend this book if one is interested in learning about human sexuality re: laity, priests, bishops and even the pope.

As a mental health professional dealing with court issues both for myself and colleagues, this book has been a great resource. The information has enabled us to enter a courtroom with much more confidence and much less anxiety. Mr. Stern's work has helped to make sense of an often frustrating and confusing experience.

This is a jewel of a book. Mr. Stern follows his own advice: know your literature, know your audience, and speak English. As a forensic nurse and educator, I would recommend this book to any examiner who is about to face the rigors of courtroom testimony.

This book is a must-read for anyone who employs or cross-examines expert witnesses. And, frankly, anyone who might be called upon to give expert witness testimony would be well-advised to read it as well.

Stern's book is thorough, covering every aspect of expert witness testimony, and is full of specific ideas that can be applied in court. Best of all, it's far from the tedious read of the typical legal text. Stern mixes entertaining real-life examples, and a sense of humor, into his informative text.

Highly recommended.

Mr. Stern presents a well assembled, logical, and (even) entertaining collection of information for anybody that is touched by any aspect of child abuse litigation. The book is well rounded enough to be useful for students as well as field practitioners. I'd like to see him tackle other areas of criminal law and (especially) the case preparation aspects.

Books came within promised time frame, and better looking than "like new" would infer, if you ask me. Will definitely seek this supplier out next dealing(s) with Amazon.

This book is highly recommended by me. It was not until I was urged to attend the Joe McQ and Charlie P. Big Book seminar in Sacramento that I began to see the system to the basic text and the orderly process of the Twelve Steps. With Joe McQ now gone, this book is even more important. I don't believe anyone can approach the A.A. program, the A.A. fellowship, or A.A. history without first mastering the Big Book basic text. And this book does the job. And its contents have benefited thousands who have attended the seminars, listened to the tapes, and read the book. Further, both Joe and Charlie were my friends. They both knew and understood the importance of the Biblical roots of A.A. and the details of our history. That would give them ten points on any scale I wrote. Furthermore they openly discussed A.A.'s real Oxford Group connection and didn't link it to some of the unwarranted diversions about Buchman and his personal statements and activities.Anne Smith's Journal, 1933-1939: A.A.'s Principles of SuccessThe Akron Genesis of Alcoholics AnonymousThe Good Book and the Big Book: A.A.'s Roots in the Bible (Bridge Builders Edition)The Oxford Group & Alcoholics Anonymous: A Design for Living that Works

A very readable, thorough, and helpful overview of the AA Big Book. This is actually a textual version of the well known weekend long Big Book Study seminars given by two gentlemen who shall remain anonymous as in the book. I found this to be a great way to delve into the Big Book again and look at it in a structured fashion. Once you are finished with this book you will have learned about the history of AA, the history of the Big Book, read the Big Book, and actually studied the Big Book. It also contains general information on the disease of alcoholism. I believe that this is a refreshing look at the Big Book and will lead you on the path that the original AA members intended for you to follow. Most AA members at some time feel that they have received most of the information that the Big Book has to offer, this book will give you a new plan to study the Big Book and will renew your interest in the wonderful program of AA.

I had the privilege to attend the weekend workshop on which this book is based about six years ago. It was a life-changing experience for me in my recovery from food addiction. This book is almost a word-for-word replica of that workshop (and was approved by the leaders of the workshop). For anyone struggling to understand the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous, read this book immediately. It is true to the heart and soul of the "big Book" and completely modernizes the information so that it's easy to understand in today's world.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who is a parent, or cares for children of any age. It is easy to read, well laid out, and gives separate chapters which discuss children at different ages, for quick reference.

The book highlights what you can do for children to help them avoid the world of drugs and alcohol and the peer pressure they might experience as they become teenagers and young adults.

Emphasis is put on what you can do no matter what age your children are, and that it is never too late to begin making changes that will help your children to resist drugs. It also offers advice to parents where children or young adults have already become dependent on drugs.

Aside form helping children to avoid drugs and alcohol, this non-punitive approach to parenting helps children to develop into emotionally healthy, co-operative and autonomous adults.

Dr Solter is an expert in her field of developmental psychology. She is also the author of three other books; The Aware Baby, Tears and Tantrums, and Helping Young Children Flourish. All of these books are well written, well researched and offer invaluable information and advice to parents and carers, and anyone involved with children and young adults.

I have found Dr Solter's approach to parenting both liberating and highly beneficial for my children and myself. Highly recommended reading.

This is a great book! It contains lots of practical tips for parents, and suggestions for how to talk about drugs with kids. This is an innovative cooperative approach.

As a mental health professional, I was impressed by how well grounded in research and developmental theory Dr. Solter's approach was. As the parent of three former teen-agers, I wished I had read her book twenty-five years ago. Dr. Solter provides clear, simple, practical suggestions for innoculating your child against the need for drugs in adolescence, beginning at birth. Her advice is divided into developmentally age-appropriate categories and is specific enough to leave no doubt about how you can handle almost any situation. It is also an easy read, with concise, short (less than two-page) "Tips" arranged in a sequence that builds upon itself logically. She offers the kind of hope and encouragement that all parents need, even demonstrating that "It's never too late," with ideas for relating to your young adult children after they've turned to drugs in their teen years. I have not seen a more user-friendly, hopeful, practical guide to navigating the territory of raising drug-free children. I recommend the book most highly.

Aletha Solter's fourth and latest book is another excellent resource for your parenting tool belt! Packed with a wealth of invaluable tips, "Raising Drug-Free Kids" differs from most parenting advice on the subject. Many parenting books suggest children need more discipline, meaning punishment, for breaking rules or for misbehavior. But strict authoritarian control and punishment, Solter stresses throughout the book, can cause children to harbor anger and resentment and often "teaches" them to hide their feelings from their parents and rebel.

A Swiss American developmental psychologist and founder of the Aware Parenting Institute, Solter contends the root cause of most behavioral problems, including substance abuse, is not a lack of "discipline" but rather a lack of connection. She emphasizes that it doesn't matter how much punishment you dole out to them, children who don't have a relationship with at least one loving parent where they feel heard and understood are at risk for substance abuse.

Throughout this book the message is consistent: listening, really listening to your children's problems and upsets nonjudgmentally, spending time with them, using a non-punitive approach to discipline and accepting your children's emotions will foster a meaningful connection with them that will both prevent and heal behavioral and emotional problems. She calls this approach Aware Parenting.

My husband and I can attest to the benefits of this philosophy. We have a 10-year old son who is about to turn 11. We first came across Solter's work when he was 2 years old. In so many ways, it validated for us what we knew in our hearts was the way to treat children. Her first three books: "Aware Baby;" "Tears and Tantrums: what to do when babies and children cry;" and "Helping Young Children Flourish," lay the groundwork for creating this kind of mutual respect between children and adults. And we have experienced first-hand how effective this approach is in doing that. The close connection we have formed with our son throughout his young life has helped us give him the support he has needed during difficult times. We don't always do it right but we always try to make it right by listening to him and valuing his feelings and needs. He has always amazed us by his awareness and expression of what is really going on with him. We are so grateful as we head into his teen years that we have such a strong connection with him!

For us, Solter's latest book couldn't have come at a better time. It's armed with tips on how to give drug-related information to children at different ages and on how to continue to build a strong relationship with your child, one that will help your child resist the onslaught of peer and media pressure to do drugs. From information on addiction and the brain to the signs of depression to teaching your child stress-management skills to learning to communicate your own feelings and needs, this book is a must read for any parent wanting to improve their relationship with their child.

In the book, Solter, who spent two years studying with Swiss psychologist Jean Piaget, shows how parents can teach their children from birth on emotional literacy, meaning the ability to accept and release painful feelings. One of the major causes of substance abuse in adolescents and adults is the desire to not feel painful emotions. So it makes perfect sense that children who are free to express their emotions will have less of a need to use alcohol, drugs, sex, food or any of the other addictions out there, to escape their pain as they get older. Instead, they will have the skill to process negative emotions from a childhood of practice!

Solter suggests you can help your child identify feelings and needs by reflecting back verbally what you think your child needs or feels. This invaluable tool can remove some of the mystery and confusion around emotions and help your child feel understood. One of the keys to emotional literacy is allowing your child to cry and express fear and anger. Solter explains that just like sadness, bottled-up fear and anger can lead to problems later on, including the tendency to control painful feelings with alcohol or drugs. Expressing feelings freely during childhood helps reduce the amount of emotional baggage your child will carry with him as he grows older. In fact, Solter stresses that contrary to what many parents fear, the more you allow your child to express angry emotions with you, the less likely your child will be to use hurtful words or actions with others. The message they will learn is that painful feelings are nothing to be afraid of and that it is okay to express them safely. When they are older, they won't need to numb painful feelings with mind-altering drugs to keep them at bay. Instead, they will have learned that painful feelings have a beginning and an end and the pain will eventually go away if they can express their discomfort freely. This is an important lesson, Solter says, that many alcoholics and drug addicts never learned as children.

Solter so aptly illustrates how important it is to value the need to address children's painful feelings while they are young by describing what it takes to heal from drug addictions. The one thing former addicts must learn in substance abuse recovery programs is to accept their painful emotions without trying to suppress them with drugs. Most people who are addicted to alcohol or drugs or any other type of addiction struggle with pent-up feelings of grief, fear, or anger and don't know how to cope with them other than to mask them with the drug of their preference. During the process of withdrawal, the person must experience the reservoir of painful emotions, which are no longer blocked by the drug. In successful recovery programs, former addicts must learn how to identify and express these long-suppressed feelings. The recovery programs do this by creating a supportive and safe environment for the participants to talk and cry without being judged. Therefore, it makes perfect sense from a preventive standpoint that anything a parent can do to help their children identify and express painful emotions through talking, raging or crying in an emotionally safe environment will strengthen their resistance to drugs.

Solter also gives tips on what not to do and what to do if your child has already tried drugs, as well as outlines the symptoms that indicate your child is addicted to them. You also will find tips for specific steps you can take to strengthen your child's bond to you, your family and a community of other caring families. This network of emotional connections is at the root of drug-resistant parenting. If your relationship with your child is strained, Solter says to realize that it is never too late to repair it. She offers suggestions on how to do that and much more, including role play scenarios to go over with your child on how to refuse drugs if pressured by peers to do them No matter what stage of development your child is at, this book will be a valuable asset that you will not regret having on your book shelf for quick reference at any time!

Everyone will have to or has had to take a prescription drug at one time or another in their lives. This books take readers behind the scenes for an in-depth look at what drives pharmaceutical companies, doctors and drug legislation as well as pointing out flaws in what many people regard as trusted medical research. This book is a real eye opener and a must read for everyone as it provides important information in protecting one's own health as well as the health of their loved ones. It is also the only textbook I have read in the last four years cover to cover and I think that says a lot.

Well-written, inportant book which affects all Americans is the way that I would describe Fred Leavitt's THE REAL DRUG ABUSERS. Dr. Leavitt offers excellent examples of the way that drug companies manipulate both doctors and patients.

This is an important book for all people who care about drug policy as it relates to criminal justice, the pharmaceutical industry and the practice of medicine - which should be all of us.

This is an excellent book that exposes drug companies for what they are: profit driven corporations with little or no regard for people's health. The book goes on to discuss the so-called war on drugs (the never-ending war justifying the imprisonment of nonviolent individuals in the name of public safety and health). Again, this is an excellent book and it should be read by anyone who has concerns about national health care in its current state.