The absence of judgement in this book makes it comforting reading for all caregivers.
Feature image credit: Caleb Woods (via Unsplash)
In Has Your Child Been Traumatized? Dr Melissa Goldberg Mintz uses evidence-based care to support parents and teach caregivers how to provide a safe and nurturing environment for all children. More specifically, for those that have experienced trauma.
Neatly structured with text formatted and presented for easy reading, Mintz has fashioned the book to appeal to any audience. There are four main parts to this book, as well as a few preliminaries. After the four main parts are further resources and an index.
Part one is about understanding trauma and has three chapters. Why is my child traumatised and other children seem fine? How do we know if our child has suffered a traumatic event, or just an adverse one? Part one answers these questions. Reassuringly in the final chapter of this part, the author advises the reader that the key to helping a traumatised child is not about professional support. The key is, in fact, you.
Although this may sound like an overwhelming responsibility, Mintz really speaks to the parent in this text. It is a no-nonsense, common-sense, and empathetic approach to parenting. Part two covers how to recognise and understand changes in your child’s behaviour, and common responses to trauma triggers. Mintz uses multiple stories and examples of trauma-related experiences and the subsequent behaviours of children or adolescents when explaining these concepts, which is useful to help a parent differentiate normal behavioural responses from those that are trauma related. An underlying theme here is “do not jump quickly to conclusions.”
This includes situations where the child has dealt with an adverse event far better than what the parent would assume, and how parental assumptions about their child can in fact make the situation worse. By the same token, Mintz highlights how trauma is individual and as such, how parents can be dismissive if they consider that the child should be able to cope better with a particular situation.
Throughout part two and more so in part three, she acknowledges the common frustrations and reactions of all parents. This normalisation of us as caregivers is encouraging; after all, how to parent is not a skill routinely taught to anyone. There are five chapters in part three about parenting strategies. How do you develop rapport with your child, so they learn how to heal themselves from within? How can you best support your child?
Finally, in part four we explore the question: do we need to seek professional help?
Mintz’s no-judgement style book is well written and a fantastic resource for any caregiver. It is the type of book that a parent can continue to refer to through all stages of their child’s development and is far better than many of the guilt-inducing books that paint a picture of negativity when a parent is not perfect. This is one book for the collection, and one to pass along when the time comes.
Reviewed by Rebecca Wu
The views expressed in this review belong to the author and not Glam Adelaide, its affiliates, or employees.
Distributed by: Guilford Press
Released: August 2022
RRP: $22 (approx)
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