The Unofficial Guide to Therapeutic Parenting for Childhood Aggression and Violence

Hilary is an adoptive parent and Family Practitioner for Adopt South West. We are grateful for her review of The Unofficial Guide to Therapeutic Parenting for Childhood Aggression and Violence by Sally Donovan and Carly Kingswood. 2023

“As an adoptive parent, I found that the best thing about this book is the underlying acceptance that parents are being subjected to aggression and violence by their children. Many parents will buy this book when they are feeling threatened, disbelieved, and judged.

“From the start, Carly and Sally acknowledge those feelings and then provide page after page of support in the form of strategies and explanations. All of which is made more accessible because they have filled the book with their own experiences.

“For parents who have been on Therapeutic Parenting training, tried Non Violent Resistance, put consequences in place with limited results etc, this is the book that will pull it all together. The kind of book that is great for parents but should then be given to family and friends who find it hard to understand why our children are behaving as they do and why conventional approaches don’t work long term.

“For those who need to have a more scientific understanding of the wiring of a child’s brain when neglect, trauma or abuse takes place, the detail is there. But this is interlaced with a real sense of realism, humour and love for our challenging youngsters.

“As a Family Practitioner for Adopt South West I approached this book with an eye on the price and it’s ease of read. It is a book that can be used as a point of reference so worth the price. It also follows the Sally Donovan format with ‘chunks’ of information offered meaning that you can read the book in short bursts.

“Sally and Carly cover the daily ‘fight’ triggers and provide strategies to put in place. They also give pointers for recognising when someone is about to explode and also techniques to help recover and repair once peace is restored. There are specific sections dedicated to issues such as social media, eating, friendships making this a book that will remain useful as your children develop.”