Shattered Innocence: A Practical Guide for Counseling Women Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse

Abstract

Originally published in Contemporary Psychology: APA Review of Books, 1996, Vol 41(7), 731. Reviews "Shattered Innocence: A Practical Guide for Counseling Women Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse" by Sharon Robinson Kurpius, and Neil C. Weiner (see record 1995-97896-000). The book is a well written and practical guide for therapists working with childhood sexual abuse survivors. The authors skillfully use analogies from children's stories and modern fiction to deepen the readers' understanding of the experience of sexual abuse. Perhaps the most helpful parts of this book are the chapters on the process of recovery detailed by the authors in the SELF model. The four stages of Safety, Exploration, Loss, and Fulfillment are fully described. In addition, a plethora of creative and innovative experiential techniques and interventions are listed to help the therapist move the survivor through the stages. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2007 APA )