Description:

Paperback: 196 pages
Publisher: Souvenir Press Ltd; Reprinted edition (1998)
Language English
ISBN-10: 0285650890

Amid the recent welcome campaign to help child victims of sexual abuse, one group of victims has remained largely untapped: the many thousands of adults who have grown up emotionally crippled by the huge burden of guilt and self-disgust that is the legacy of child abuse, and who are now ongoing victims, unable to form mature sexual relationships, unable to function as adults. Their manifold problems are so acute that few of them can regain their emotional health without professional intervention. Many of these people are now being helped by Parks Inner Child Therapy, and in this important book Penny Parks describes her techniques so that thousands more can be reached and guided to maturity. Her aim is to get through to the hurt child at the adult's core. By showing her clients how to re-enact their childhood memories, face their experiences and receive the comfort and reassurance that they so badly needed at the time, she helps to desensitise the pain. she encourages them to vent their suppressed anger, guilt and bitterness, to understand what happened to them and gradually to grow and come to terms with themselves and their sexuality. Throughout the book her clients contribute their own experiences, not only of the past, but of the process of the therapy and restoration. Their memories and feelings make painful, often shocking reading but through them other victims and their partners will be able to work out their own necessarily hurtful path to recovery. The effects of sexual abuse have too often been belittled in the past. This book lays bare the full scale of the lasting trauma that is inflicted and provides practical and sympathetic techniques to heal the wounds.

Designed as a self-help book, this text would also be useful for those working with, or who want to understand more about, people who have suffered sexual abuse. This may include those studying for a social work, health and social care, counselling or psychotherapy degree or qualification.

Condition: Good. Some highlighting on a few pages, and slight yellowing.