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Tell It Like It Is: A Resource For Youth In Treatment.
By Alice Tallmadge and Galyn Forster, Brandon, VT, Safer Society Press, 1998, 150 pages, $24.95
This book is designed as a secondary text for adolescents in sexual offense specific psychotherapy. It could be used with both male and female adolescents receiving either residential or outpatient care. It may also be assigned as reading for parents/guardians of this population entering or progressing through family therapy. A number of topics regarding specific phenomena or experiences often shared by this population are addressed. Each topic is broken into several short chapters that include a summation point from the authors, as well as relevant quotes taken from a set of past clients. These past clients are identified by first name and provide the bulk of the commentary for each topic. Many of the client statements reveal a typical progression of understanding and internalization experienced for that particular phenomenon. The sections and corresponding chapters are laid out in a manner that may correspond with the treatment trajectory for this population. However, each chapter is written such that the reader may pick and choose which chapters to access, without having to have read the preceding chapters.
This book is comprised of thirteen sections, each containing one to six chapters. The titles of the eleven sections include; Starting Treatment, Let’s Talk About Lying, How Group Treatment Works, Feelings, Thinking Errors, The Abuse Cycle, Fantasies, Family Matters, Victims, Peers, Older Offenders Speak Out, Female Offenders Speak Out, and Two Final Questions and Some Answers. This book is written at an eighth grade reading level. While it does not espouse any particular psychotherapy model, cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy terminology and philosophy are well represented. The authors acknowledge that they wish for this book to be used by any psychotherapist treating this population, regardless of theoretical bent. However, the writing and selection of quotes does reflect their theoretical underpinnings, as well as reflecting that cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy for this population, is best supported by the professional literature.
As mentioned previously, this book may be woven into treatment by providing the client with an understanding of a number of core phenomena or experiences often experienced as one progresses. The apparent overarching message of this book is to normalize the treatment process, and self-discovery, as much as possible. This message may help to reduce psychotherapy-based anxiety, thus allowing the client to garner quicker and more substantial treatment gains. This book is written with the assumption that the majority of clients who receive this specialized psychotherapy will experience a number of these phenomena. Clearly the authors are attempting to capture on paper several of the curative factors associated with group psychotherapy, such as cohesion, and universality.
The quotes from the adolescent clients appear well chosen. The authors have done a nice job of selecting clients who express themselves well. Reading this book in its entirety gives one the sense that various clients in the book struggled with certain thoughts, perceptions, and feelings to the exclusion of other phenomena. These clients speak to these struggles and what coping strategies they found effective. This provides one a glimpse as to how psychotherapy and recovery are individual processes and truly colored by the nuances of the client’s personality and psychotherapy relationship.
One may find it most effective to follow the author’s advice and select appropriate chapters based off the individual clinical needs of the client. The psychotherapist may ask clients or parents/guardians to read an assigned chapter, complete the corresponding questions, and return to the next session for discussion. These clients may report that the statements made by the young people in the book reflect certain thoughts or feelings they are experiencing. This identification allows lines of communication to be opened up, hopefully spurring new discussion of applicable coping strategies to be implemented. The fact that other people have clearly felt or thought the same way that they do may be a relief. This alone may help to reduce anxiety, and free up psychological energy to tackle the steps necessary to reduce overall risk of sexual re-offending. The chapters centering on shame and familial and self-perceptions may prove most helpful. These chapters appear designed to be instrumental in helping families begin to address their own recovery and sense of unity after sexual abuse has occurred.
One criticism for this book is the lack of relevant statements by clients on their own victimization. While not every adolescent who has committed sexual offenses has suffered maltreatment, a large percentage does struggle with violations committed against them during childhood. It would be helpful to use this reference to address some of these issues as well. One may find that some clients may really begin to identify with the young people in this book. This connection could be used to address and bring to the forefront, other associated phenomena, including victimization, substance abuse, depression, anxiety disorders, and social skills deficits.
This book may be extremely helpful in normalizing the psychotherapeutic process for this population. The sections and chapters appear helpful in reducing anxiety, spurring communication, and identification of secondary treatment needs and directions. The client statements appear well written and to the point. The lack of statements addressing associated historical and clinical issues is disappointing. This book may also be helpful in family psychotherapy and reunification sessions.