Healing the Harm Done: A Parent’s Guide to Helping Your Child Overcome the Effects of Sexual Abuse
by Jennifer Levy-Peck, 2009
This guide provides practical, compassionate advice for parents on dealing with abused children’s troublesome behaviors and emotional concerns. It addresses topics such as sleep disturbance, inappropriate sexual behavior, worries about the future, and the parents’ own life struggles as they assist their children to recuperate and become healthy survivors.
Your Body Belongs to You
by Cornelia Maude Spelman, Teri Weidner (Illustrator), 2000
Mostly focused on prevention, this book is positive and assertive without being frightening. It helps children young children understand that they get to choose when, and by whom, they are to be touched.
How Long Does it Hurt? A Guide to Recovering from Incest and Sexual Abuse for Teenagers, Their Friends, and Their Families
by Cynthia L. Mather, Kristina E. Debye, 2004
This is a great one that many teenagers who have been through sexual abuse or assault find the most helpful one they’ve ever read. Parents really benefit from reading it too. Importantly, boys are included throughout the entire book.
Children and Trauma: A Guide for Parents and Professionals (Revised ed.)
by Cynthia Monahon, 1997
Written for parents and professionals, this book is easy to read and very informative. It explains the effects of traumatic experiences on children, offers a clear path to restoring a child’s sense of safety and balance, and makes it easy to find the specific information and recommendations you need.
Treating Traumatic Stress in Children and Adolescents: How to Foster Resilience through Attachment, Self-Regulation, and Competency
by Margaret E. Blaustein PhD & Kristine M. Kinniburgh LICSW, 2010
Though written for therapists, this book can help parents understand the developmental impacts of trauma – and that all behaviors, however troubling, are functional attempts to adapt to trauma. Its flexible treatment framework supports parents’ efforts to bring safety and resilience into their children’s lives.
Handbook for Treatment of Attachment-Trauma Problems in Children
by Beverly James, 1994
This book is focused on children who have not only experienced trauma, but have had little or no stable and loving relationships in their lives, for example children who have been adopted or placed in foster care after being terribly neglected and abused. It shows how to relate to these children, including as a parent, to help them learn to love and trust – and how to avoid getting caught in some common but destructive ways of trying to bring healing.
Trauma in the Lives of Children: Crisis and Stress Management Techniques for Counselors, Teachers, and Other Professionals
by Kendall Johnson, 1998
Another one written for professionals but very helpful to parents as well. It addresses many practical and effective approaches to helping children, including EMDR, a treatment that can sometimes quickly help children become free of tormenting abuse memories.
Real Life Heroes: A Life Storybook for Children
by Richard Kagan, 2004
This “life storybook” can help traumatized children by focusing on positive experiences and perspectives, without denying their pain and suffering, by helping them draw strength from the supportive people in their lives.
