Shattered Lives

"Shattered Lives" bears witness to the lives of children who have experienced abuse and neglect, and highlights the effects of early traumatic episodes. Chapters take the form of letters to a child capturing their life experiences, hugely impacted by sexual abuse, parental substance misuse and loss, leading to feelings of shame, rejection and worthlessness. Batmanghelidjh offers understanding for those baffled by these hard-to-reach children and warns against stigmatizing them for their problem behaviour. In her critique of existing structures, she exposes the plight of children who are overlooked by the authorities and denounces those who value bureaucracy over the welfare of the individual child. Society's failure to acknowledge the truth of their experiences and act to change the environment in which such mistreatment can flourish is, she strongly argues, leading to the death of childhood. The book is a clarion call for change.

ISBN 1843106035   Pages 176 ISBN13 9781843106036 (What's this?)   Volumes 1 Publisher Jessica Kingsley Publishers   Weight (grammes) 263 Imprint Jessica Kingsley Publishers   Published in London Format Paperback   Height (mm) 234 Publication date 10 Aug 2007   Width (mm) 156 Library of Congress 2007028353   Spine width (mm) 10 DEWEY 362.76   Academic level General DEWEY edition DC22

Introduction.; 1. The Witnessing.; 2. Introduction to Therapeutic Thinking.; 3. Exploring the Impact of Sexual Abuse - Letter to Chardonnay.; 4. Shame - Letter to Daisy.; 5. Adaptive Violence - Letter to Mr Mason.; 6. Psychosocial Vulnerabilities Leading to Violence - Letter to Rocky.; 7. Cradled in Terror - Children's Capacity to be Violent.; 8. Legitimizing Neglect? Achieving the Best for Clients and Workers - Letter to Flower.; 9. Parental Addictions - Letter to Julie.; 10. Letter to Deny, Cry and Try. Conclusion.; Appendix 1: The Basic "Who's Who?" of the Therapy World.; Appendix 2: Substance Misuse: A Tourist's Guide.

"'The strength of Shattered Lives lies in Batmanghelidjh's passionate conviction that these children have been unjustly treated, but can be reached through the redeeming powers of understanding and love.' -Therapy Today 'This remarkable and moving book is not about Camila but about a small, representative cross-section of unique people who have come to her (and that of the organisations she has founded) for solace and for help. In a series of letters that Camila writes to them we learn the unfolding narrative of their lives, of how those lives were shattered by varying patterns of abuse and neglect; and, how slowly they were helped to piece together new possibilities and find ways forward out of often unimaginable difficulty. Each of these lives is unique but each is chosen to illuminate ways in which we might more effectively respond to the patterns of distress they reveal... At heart the book gives Daisy and Chardonnay, Rocky and Mr Mason a voice to articulate the ways they have been failed - and how ways may be found to transform that failure. As such the book is an indictment - one it would be easy to read uncomfortably and finds reasons to reject. However to do so would be to evade our collective responsibility to create a society that does genuinely care, both for the rights of the child and for their uniqueness as persons, allowing them the space to fully flourish. But, more than this, the book has an intensely practical purpose of educating us to care; and, though necessarily our attention is held by the stories, our feelings transformed by them, what most impressed me is Camila's ability to offer lucid recommendations for social and therapeutic practice. Care can only be as valuable as the intelligence as well as the compassion that informs it; and, this book compellingly offers both. It should be read by everyone who cares...' - Network Review - The Journal of the Scientific and Medical Network 'This is an interesting and powerful book, likely to provoke a real response from the reader.' - Newscheck 'It is the long distance work with children that counts. The willingness not just to reach out, but to stay with troubled children and young people, particularly when all instincts cry out against it.' - Young Minds Magazine 'Shattered Lives is an uncompromising depiction of child abuse and neglect, it's origins and its devastating effects through the experiences of the children with whom Batmanghelidjh worked. While the testimonies of the children's lives are the most powerful element of this book, it is so much more than a collection of anecdotes. Batmanghelidjh offers the reader an alternative view to the one peddled by sections of our media and policy makers, with its superficial understanding of the ills of our society. Shattered Lives is about a conviction and passion for children and young people subjected to the worst forms of suffering and an attempt to set their record straight. It both challenges and charges us as individuals and as a society with the collective responsibility of failing to protect and nurture these children. I can honestly say that reading Shattered Lives was an experience as opposed to an intellectual exercise - sometimes harrowing, yet not devoid of solutions. As a social worker with a background in working with children and families, the scenarios quickly took me back to many children and young people I've known and the painful experiences that they had to grapple with - often with amazing courage and strength. This book is a must for everyone who is serious about understanding the plight of abused and neglected children. It is a clarion call to challenge the malaise in policy and practice and to do better for our children.' - Children Now 'Unusual and compelling, those professionals involved in working with children and making decisions on their lives - social workers, health visitors, phychologists and doctors, family and youth court magistrates, would gain much insight from reading this

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