Grounded in cutting-edge qualitative research, Trans and Sexuality explores the sexuality of people who do not identify with the gender that they were assigned at birth. Arguing that whilst splitting members of the trans community into distinct groups might seem like a reasonable theoretical procedure, the pervasive assumption that group membership impacts on the sexuality of trans people has unduly biased opinions in this highly contested, yet dramatically under-researched area. Moreover, whilst existing literature has taken a purely positivistic standpoint, or relies on methodology that could be seen as exploitative towards trans people, Richards is careful to place the real-life experiences of trans research participants at the heart of the work. Showing that sexuality extends beyond the bedroom, this forward-thinking book touches on topics such as identity, sexuality and the intersections between the two. Richards takes a cross-disciplinary approach and considers the sexuality of trans people within the contexts of psychiatric and psychological settings, including Gender Identity Clinics, as well as in the broader contexts of cultural and community settings. The implications of the research at hand are also explored with respect to counselling psychology and existentialist philosophy. Trans and Sexuality will appeal to academics, researchers and postgraduate students in the fields of gender and sexuality, counselling, sociology, psychotherapy, psychology and psychiatry. It will be of particular interest to those seeking an in-depth and up-to-date overview of ethics and methodologies with people from marginalised sexualities and genders.

This is the first textbook to provide a complete overview of counselling psychology. Covering not only the underlying principles and philosophy of the profession, it offers a uniquely applied perspective in a concise, student-friendly format. From the relationship between research and practice to key ethical and professional issues, the book is written by some of the most eminent academic and practising psychologists in the field. It initially defines what counselling psychology and a therapeutic relationship involves, before outlining the range of approaches that can be taken with clients, from CBT to psychodynamic perspectives, and the journey of training through to working as a counselling psychologist. Supported by case studies and a range of features to illustrate how theory can be applied to practice, this is the ideal companion for courses in applied counselling psychology. The integrated and interactive approach covers the personal and professional issues which counselling psychologists face, making this the definitive introduction for any student of this growing field of study.

How do young people cope with the multitude of difficult situations and scenarios that are associated with growing up, like anxiety and depression, as well as illness, rejection and family breakdown? How can we facilitate and encourage, through a combination of health, well-being and positive mindset, healthy development during adolescence and beyond? With a substantial focus on the positive aspects of coping, including an emphasis on developing resilience and the achievement of happiness, Erica Frydenberg presents the latest developments in the field of coping. Adolescent Coping highlights the ways in which coping can be measured and implemented in a wide range of circumstances and contexts, with suggestions for the development of coping skills and coping skills training, and it provides strong scholarly evidence for the concepts and constructs that it promotes as providing a pathway to resilience. The work is framed as an ongoing interaction between individuals and their environments as represented by the psychosocial ecological model of Bronfenbrenner. The major theories of coping are articulated that take account of the transactional model, resources theories and proactive models of coping. Areas of recent interest such as neuroscience and epigenetics are included, alongside a new chapter, 'Cyberworld', which provides insights on new and relevant topics such as mindfulness and the impact of social media as they relate to coping in the contemporary context. Adolescent Coping will be of interest to practitioners in psychology, social work, sociology, education and youth and community work as well as to students on courses in adolescent development in these fields.

Coping Long-Term with Active Suicide Program (CLASP): Clinician Guide is an indispensable resource for clinicians, researchers and mental health practitioners who are interested in implementing a cost-effective and proven suicide prevention intervention, with the newly developed 'Coping Long Term with Active Suicide Program' (CLASP). With a foundation grounded in theoretical models of suicide prevention, as well as in the relevant empirical literature, CLASP is unique among suicide prevention interventions in that it targets multiple risk factors for suicide using a combination of formats and therapeutic strategies. The treatment can be delivered in-person and/or via telehealth to focus on values-goals clarification, problem solving, and significant other support. This book introduces the rationale and empirical support for the CLASP intervention, followed by a session-by-session description of how to implement CLASP in clinical practice and with specific targeted populations at risk.

Offering a fresh take on the purpose of social studies today, James A. Duplass positions philosophical counseling as a way for teachers to engage students in thinking deeply about what it means to be a citizen in a democratic society. The Idea of a Social Studies Education takes a uniquely humanistic approach to the idea of a social studies education to show how teachers can act as philosophical counselors in preparing students for active civic engagement. Duplass reminds the reader of the needs of students in modern society who seek to develop an identity worth living and the role social studies can play in students achieving that process. By focusing on the cultivation of students' autonomy, authenticity, efficacy, and agency, Duplass' approach avoids political biases and instead encourages critical thinking to decipher what a democratic ideology truly is.

"According to Leo Tolstoy's famous statement "all happy families are alike, each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way". Knud Larsen in his book on human happines proves the opposite. Summarizing the classical and recent research in successful human adaptation, adjustment and well-being of the soul and body he shows the many faces of individual human happiness. Moreover, the book opens the perspective into the directions of social, cultural and biological evolution. What I like most in the book, is its usefulness. Knud has many practical pieces of advice suggesting that we can improve our well-being if we try. I wish Anna Karenina had read this well-conceived, well written text.", Gyorgy Csepeli, Professor of Social Psychology, Chair of the Interdisciplinary Social Research Program of the Doctoral School of the Faculty of Social Science at ELTE, Senior Research Fellow of the Institute of Advanced Studies at Koszeg (iASK) "This unique, reader-friendly volume covers psychological aspects of successful living with such diversity and depth that I have not encountered hitherto. It is essential reading for psychology undergraduates as well as more seasoned academics and practitioners", Howie Giles, Distinguished Professor Communication, University of California, Santa Barbara, USA & Honorary Professor of Psychology, University of Queensland, Australia "This book by Professor Larsen is very enjoyable reading and covers the many challenges humans face across the lifespan. The focus is on positive psychology as supportive solutions are offered for the many challenges of living. This is also a relatively rare book that evaluates adaptation from a socio-cultural perspective since most books today emphasize cognitive aspects of coping and development. I especially appreciated how Professor Larsen weaved his salient knowledge of cross-cultural psychology into this important work on human adaptation. In the book the author discusses the issue of adaptation in its varying aspects of human life and through the prism of cultural influence on personality and behavior.", Askar Jumageldinov, Ph.D, Assistant Professor at Catholic University in Lyon "This book uniquely ties together the author's personal experiences with in-depth research on human adaptation. What strikes the reader is the very personal narrative that illustrates the many points of struggling with the challenges of being human. The book combines the best of classical literature along with very current and meaningful research. The whole human journey is evaluated from identity and finding meaning, through optimizing health in midlife to facing the final existential questions related to both death and longevity. A very thoughtful book.", Sven Morch, Ph.D , Professor, University of Copenhagen "An enlightened and enlightening story of the challenges we meet through our life course. Although the general reader may find useful information to the journey of life it is also a volume packed with research-based information from the psychological and social sciences with implications for how we can grow as human beings and live satisfying lives together.", Reidar Ommundsen, Professor Emeritus, University of Oslo "I have found the work of Knud Larsen to dove-tail with my own work on behalf of indigenous and third world peoples since I first became acquainted with him in the context of supporting the People of Cuba. Dr. Larsen, as manifest in this career-capping work, has the ability - rare among non-ethnologist academics - to be engaged in the inner cognitive world of people inside other cultures while viewing their society in his own unique perspective. This broad and deep treatment will deepen and broaden my own view of the peoples that I have engaged with on the cognitive level. It also broadens my view of the challenges of my own life and how to live a happy life.", John Allison, Cognitive ethnologist and author

By revealing underlying assumptions that influence the field of psychology, The Hidden Worldviews of Psychology's Theory, Research, and Practice challenges psychologists to reconsider the origins of ideas they may take as psychological truths. Worldviews, or the systems of assumptions that provide a framework for psychological thinking, have great influence on psychological theory, research, and practice. This book attempts to correct assumptions by describing the worldviews that have shaped psychological theory, practice, and research and demonstrating how taking worldviews into account can greatly advance psychology as a whole.

• This book presents the landscape of consciousness and psychology and connects the possibilities of grounding the discussions in experiential, social, cognitive, and ecological contexts. • It decolonizes the understanding of consciousness connects the possibilities of grounding the discussions in experiential, social, cognitive, and ecological contexts. • Will be of interest to students, teachers, and researchers of psychology, consciousness studies, cognitive science, philosophy, social psychology, yoga studies, and yoga psychology across UK and US. It will also be useful for yoga professionals, therapists, social workers, and anyone who is interested to learn about consciousness.

Helping Skills Training for Nonprofessional Counselors provides comprehensive training in mental health first aid. Through a trusted approach, grounded in evidence-based psychological research and counseling theory, this training manual provides step-by-step instruction in helping skills written exclusively for nonprofessionals. Focusing on the basics of nonprofessional counseling, the author has written an easy-to-read text that pinpoints strategies, action steps, and investigation procedures to be used by nonprofessionals to effectively aid those in distress. The LifeRAFT model integrates multi-theoretical bases, microskills training, evidence-based techniques, and instruction on ethical appropriateness. It also includes case studies, session transcripts, and practice exercises. With undergraduate students in applied psychology and nonprofessional counselors being the primary beneficiaries of this text, it is also ideal for anyone seeking training to effectively respond to mental health crises encountered in their everyday lives.

Based on more than ten years of research, Motivational Interviewing With Couples provides a comprehensive introduction to the theoretical foundations, processes, and strategies unique to Motivational Interviewing (MI) with couples. Drawing on Interdependence Theory, this approach to MI positions the couple as the client. Relationship functioning-the extent to which partners are satisfied with, invested in, and committed to the relationship-is viewed as a mechanism to achieve change. MI-based interventions historically have been shown effective in promoting behavior change across a broad range of problem areas, including substance use and sexual health, two issues that are discussed at length in the book. While the initial concepts of this intervention are substantially informed by work with sexual minority male couples, the principles can be applied broadly to couple-based processes relevant to a wide array of health behaviors and regardless of clients' gender and sexual orientation. In addition to introducing Interdependence Theory and discussing its implications for MI, Motivational Interviewing With Couples offers a lexicon of counseling techniques used specifically in couples' sessions. These strategies address the challenges of balancing attention to the relationship as well as both individual partners, drawing out relationship strengths, clarifying shared goals, mitigating conflict in session, and planning together for change. Chapters include extended examples of MI sessions involving sexual minority male couples to illustrate the practice of couples MI. Three special issues chapters focus on common challenges in therapy; future directions for MI research and practice; and how to integrate attention to sexual satisfaction within couples as well as sexual safety, helping to shift the view of sex therapy as a specialty field focused on dysfunction or sexual risk reduction to one that integrates sexuality as a component of overall health and well-being.

The Handbook of Arab American Psychology is the first major publication to comprehensively discuss the Arab American ethnic group from a lens that is primarily psychological. This edited book contains a comprehensive review of the cutting-edge research related to Arab Americans and offers a critical analysis regarding the methodologies and applications of the scholarly literature. It is a landmark text for both multicultural psychology as well as for Arab American scholarship. Considering the post 9/11 socio-political context in which Arab Americans are under ongoing scrutiny and attention, as well as numerous misunderstandings and biases against this group, this text is timely and essential. Chapters in the Handbook of Arab American Psychology highlight the most substantial areas of psychological research with this population, relevant to diverse sub-disciplines including cultural, social, developmental, counseling/clinical, health, and community psychologies. Chapters also include content that intersect with related fields such as sociology, American studies, cultural/ethnic studies, social work, and public health. The chapters are written by distinguished scholars who merge their expertise with a review of the empirical data in order to provide the most updated presentation of scholarship about this population. The Handbook of Arab American Psychology offers a noteworthy contribution to the field of multicultural psychology and joins references on other racial/ethnic minority groups, including Handbook of African American Psychology, Handbook of Asian American Psychology, Handbook of U.S. Latino Psychology, and The Handbook of Chicana/o Psychology and Mental Health.

Many current approaches to the treatment of psychological problems focus on specific disorders and techniques that are purported to be effective and distinct. Recent advances in knowledge and theory, however, have called into question this approach. The conceptual framework of transdiagnostic, rather than disorder specific, processes is gaining traction. Alongside this has been the call to focus on evidence-based principles rather than evidence-based practices and techniques. The rationale behind this is that many apparently unique and innovative practices are usually the reflection of common underlying principles. This book describes three foundational principles that are key to understanding both the rise and the resolution of psychological distress. Principles-Based Counselling and Psychotherapy promotes a Method of Levels (MOL) approach to counselling and psychotherapy. Using clinical examples and vignettes to help practitioners implement a principles-based approach, this book describes three fundamental principles for effective therapeutic practice and their clinical implications. The first chapter of the book provides a rationale for the principles-based approach. The second chapter describes the three principles of control, conflict, and reorganisation and how they relate to each other from within a robust theory of physical and psychological functioning. The remainder of the book covers important aspects of psychological treatment such as the therapeutic relationship, appointment scheduling, and the change process from the application of these three principles. With important implications for all therapeutic approaches, Principles-Based Counselling and Psychotherapy will be an invaluable resource for psychotherapists, counsellors and clinical psychologists in practice and training. It provides clarity about their role, and a means for providing a resolution to psychological distress and improving the effectiveness of their practice.

Written by luminaries who have shaped the field, this capstone book distills the collective wisdom of foremost scholars and practitioners, who together have nearly a millennium of experience in the death and dying movement. The book bears witness to the discipline's evolution and presents the insights of its pioneers, eyewitnesses, and major contributors past and present. They address contemporary institutional developments in hospice and palliative care, funeral practice, and death education. They discuss best practices in care of the dying and bereaved and contemporary thinking in thanatology.

With a breadth and depth found in no other text on death, dying, and bereavement, the book disseminates the thinking of such scholars as William Worden, David Clark, Tony Walter, Robert Neimeyer, Charles Corr, Stephen Connor, Phyllis Silverman, Betty Davies, Terrie Rando, Colin Murray Parkes, Kenneth Doka, Allan Kellehear, and others. To underscore the three broad ranges of development in the movement, the book first focuses on the interdisciplinary intellectual achievements that have formed the foundation of the field. The section on institutional innovations encompasses contributions in hospice and palliative care of the dying and their families; suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention; funeral service; and university-based death education. The final third of the book addresses spiritual support, using the arts and humanities, grief counseling across the lifespan, community-based mutual support groups, and future developments that promise to sustain, further enrich, and strengthen the discipline. Also included is a detailed guide to further, in-depth reading in the field. Key Features:

Distills the wisdom of pioneers and foremost luminaries in the field of death, dying, and bereavement Includes living witness accounts of the movement's evolution and important milestones Presents the best contemporary thinking in thanatology Describes contemporary institutional developments in hospice and palliative care, funeral practice, and death education Illuminates best practices in care of the dying, bereaved, and traumatized

The World Library of Mental Health celebrates the important contributions to mental health made by leading experts in their individual fields. Each author has compiled a career-long collection of what they consider to be their finest pieces: extracts from books, journals, articles, major theoretical and practical contributions, and salient research findings.

Miller Mair, clinical psychologist and psychotherapist, devoted his life to developing a psychology that provided a radical alternative to the behavioural, and latterly cognitive-behavioural, approaches that have dominated the field. He presented this work in a wide range of publications and conference papers, and prior to his untimely death in 2011 he had selected a number of these for a volume of his collected works. This book is based upon Miller s selection, and includes several previously unpublished papers as well as others that are now out of print.

Miller was considerably influenced by George Kelly s personal construct psychology, as is apparent in most of his writings. However, his papers on psychology and psychotherapy also draw upon an extraordinarily wide range of other fields of knowledge, including imagery; metaphor; storytelling and narrative; rhetoric; discourse and conversation; poetry; and spirituality. These concerns are reflected in the contributions selected for this volume, which also demonstrate the variation in his style of writing from the more conventionally academic to the personal and poetic as he developed a poetics of experience and a stance of conversational inquiry .

Miller s final publication was entitled Enchanting psychology, and it is hoped that this volume will provide an antidote to the disenchantment that many readers may feel with mechanistic and reductionist approaches in psychology and its clinical applications, and more generally in health service rhetoric and policies. As these writings vividly demonstrate, a clinical psychologist and psychotherapist can, and should, also be a poet, artist, and storyteller. The volume will be of value to readers previously unfamiliar with Miller s ideas, but also to those who know his work, who will find here the first published selection of his papers."

Although clients disclose many of their concerns to therapists, they often choose to conceal some of their concerns as well. Equally, therapists occasionally reveal something of themselves to clients via therapist self-disclosure, but typically keep the focus on clients. Such disclosure, whether by clients or therapists, is seldom easy, and is instead often fraught with questions as to what, how much, and why to disclose, as well as concerns regarding the consequences of disclosure. Clearly, disclosure (or the lack thereof) is an important phenomenon of the therapy endeavour. The chapters included in this book examine various aspects of the disclosure and concealment phenomena, whether from client or therapist perspective. Contributions examine the relationship of therapist self-disclosure to alliance and outcome; the phenomenon of therapist self-disclosure in psychodynamic therapy; client concealment and disclosure of secrets in therapy; young adults' disclosures in psychotherapy and on Facebook; and lying in psychotherapy. Each offers intriguing insights into the disclosure, or lack of disclosure, in psychotherapy, from the therapist or client perspective. This book was originally published as a special issue of Counselling Psychology Quarterly.

Roles and Contexts in Counselling Psychology looks at the different contexts that counselling psychologists typically work within, offering a snapshot of the 'day job'. The book provides insights into roles that reflect the human lifespan from birth to death, focusing upon specific mental health experiences and considering roles external to healthcare settings such as expert witness and independent practice. Each chapter is written by a counselling psychologist and offers an overview of their particular specialism and their experiences within it, bringing a unique transparency and personal insight. The book describes the skills that are required for the different roles and their challenges and rewards. It also discusses how the philosophy of counselling psychology is maintained and explores the associated ethical and legal considerations. Further, it takes note of the issues relating to leadership and diversity. The book is an essential resource for undergraduate psychology and counselling students and trainee clinical or counselling psychologists, as well as qualified practitioners.

When tragedy strikes a community, it is often unexpected with long-lasting effects on the people left in its wake. Too often, there aren't adequate systems in place to aid those affected in processing what has happened. This study uniquely combines practical theology, pastoral insight and scientific data to demonstrate how Christian congregations can be helped to be resilient in the face of sudden devastating events. Beginning by identifying the characteristics of trauma in individuals and communities, this collection of essays from practitioners and academics locates sudden trauma-inducing tragedies as a problem in practical theology. A range of biblical and theological responses are presented, but contemporary scientific understanding is also included in order to challenge and stretch some of these traditional theological resources. The pastoral section of the book examines the ethics of response to tragedy, locating the role of the minister in relation to other helping agencies and exploring the all-too-topical issue of ministerial abuse. Developing a nuanced rationale for good practical, pastoral, liturgical and theological responses to major traumas, this book will be of significant value to scholars of practical theology as well as practitioners counselling in and around church congregations.

This book offers a refreshing new approach to mental health by showing how 'mental health' behaviours, lived experiences, and our interventions arise from our social worlds and not from our neurophysiology gone wrong. It is part of a trilogy which offers a new way of doing psychology focusing on people's social and societal environments as determining their behaviour, rather than internal and individualistic attributions. 'Mental health' behaviours are carefully analysed as ordinary behaviours which have become exaggerated and chronic because of the bad life situations people are forced to endure, especially as children. This shifts mental health treatments away from the dominance of psychology and psychiatry to show that social action is needed because many of these bad life situations are produced by our modern society itself. By providing new ways for readers to rethink everything they thought they knew about mental health issues and how to change them, Bernard Guerin also explores how by changing our environmental contexts (our local, societal, and discursive worlds), we can improve mental health interventions. This book reframes 'mental health' into a much wider social context to show how societal structures restrict our opportunities and pathways to produce bad life situations, and how we can also learn from those who manage to deal with the very same bad life situations through crime, bullying, exploitation, and dropping out of mainstream society, rather than through the 'mental health' behaviours. By merging psychology and psychiatry into the social sciences, Guerin seeks to better understand how humans operate in their social, cultural, economic, patriarchal, discursive, and societal worlds, rather than being isolated inside their heads with a 'faulty brain', and this will provide fascinating reading for academics and students in psychology and the social sciences, and for counsellors and therapists.

Leadership and Diversity in Psychology explores the topic of leadership and diversity from a range of different perspectives. The authors draw from professional experience and research to support their reflections on leadership with diverse populations, leadership in organizations and developing leadership style. Incorporating current theory and up-to-date research concerning current trends towards more relational and integrative work, the book emphasises practitioners' reflections of their own experience. It reflects the contemporary focus towards more pluralistic/integrative practice, which has moved away from traditional orientations involving specific ways of working. Leadership and Diversity in Psychology will be of great interest to academics and researchers in the fields of clinical and counselling psychology and organizational psychology as well as professional practitioners.

Originally published in 1964 Psychiatric Social Work looks at psychiatric social work as an established form of professional social work in Great Britain, as well as the mental health policy introduced at the time of the book's publication. The book looks at how social workers in the 1960s were striving for professional status, and the interest that grew around their professional status during this period. The book examines changes and issues in their training and a general picture of those who qualified. It looks at the careers of a group of social workers and follows the developments in child guidance, mental hospitals, and the care of the mentally ill in the community. The contribution of social workers is discussed and their activities of the professional associations in training and professional development is examined. This book will act as an important historical look at the changes to social work.

This book enumerates the unique challenges, barriers, needs, and trauma of being an African American in the United States, and at the same time highlights what needs to be done to improve and foster the mental health healing of this population. This includes practical applications and strategic solutions that work, such as the family togetherness and ardent spiritual beliefs that form the basis for resilient and vibrant mental health among African Americans. This contributed volume features the authorship of counseling professionals, most of whom are African American themselves. Because of their own personal experiences, they are able to emphasize cogent helping strategies for this population, to show how to move forward with encouragement. The book also highlights ways to promote life that is mentally healthy and holistic for African Americans. Topics covered within the chapters include: Mental Health Challenges Unique to African American Children and Adolescents Diagnosis Issues with African Americans Culture of Family Togetherness, Emotional Resilience, and Spiritual Lifestyles Inherent in African Americans from the Time of Slavery Until Now The Trauma of Being an African American in the 21st Century Training, Recruiting, and Retaining African American Mental Health Professionals African Americans and Mental Health: Practical and Strategic Solutions to Barriers, Needs, and Challenges is an essential resource for helping professionals who work with this population, including psychiatrists, counselors, psychologists, social workers, and other mental health professionals. The book also should be of interest to researchers, instructors, and students in Counseling, Social Work, and Psychology.

This Handbook provides both breadth and depth regarding current approaches to the understanding, assessment, and treatment of personality disorders. The five parts of the book address etiology; models; individual disorders and clusters; assessment; and treatment. A comprehensive picture of personality pathology is supplied that acknowledges the contributions and missteps of the past, identifies the crucial questions of the present, and sets a course for the future. It also follows the changes the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) has triggered in the field of personality disorders. The editors take a unique approach where all chapters include two commentaries by experts in the field, as well as an author rejoinder. This approach engages multiple perspectives and an exchange of ideas. It is the ideal resource for researchers and treatment providers at all career stages.

Offering a fresh take on the purpose of social studies today, James A. Duplass positions philosophical counseling as a way for teachers to engage students in thinking deeply about what it means to be a citizen in a democratic society. The Idea of a Social Studies Education takes a uniquely humanistic approach to the idea of a social studies education to show how teachers can act as philosophical counselors in preparing students for active civic engagement. Duplass reminds the reader of the needs of students in modern society who seek to develop an identity worth living and the role social studies can play in students achieving that process. By focusing on the cultivation of students' autonomy, authenticity, efficacy, and agency, Duplass' approach avoids political biases and instead encourages critical thinking to decipher what a democratic ideology truly is.

The care paradigm for people with HIV has shifted from managing progressive illness with a poor prognosis to managing a chronic condition. Despite this improvement, people living with HIV continue to experience considerable stresses, so promoting their holistic wellbeing is a key aspect of long-term care. This book provides an accessible introduction for healthcare professionals who work with people living with HIV. It is designed to help readers understand how care in practice can be more person-centred and psychologically focused, whilst promoting compassion, health and wellbeing. Topics covered include self-awareness, attachment theories and communication as well as key aspects of providing care for people living with HIV, such as stigma in young adults, neurocognitive issues, the sexualized use of drugs, managing neuropathic pain, and the needs of older adults living with HIV. Invaluable reading for health professionals working within multidisciplinary teams that provide care for people living with HIV, this book is also a core text for those studying in the area.

Spanked: How Hitting Our Children is Harming Ourselves is a historical and cultural analysis of the long accepted practice of hitting children for learning and obedience. The book begins with understanding who spanks and how the practice of using a hand to hit the buttocks of children evolved. Erickson explores the cultural factors from historical magazine articles and parenting books to contemporary beliefs that support this type of discipline. Spanking's connections to a variety of topics are clarified, including the feelings of parents, perceptions of children, potential child abuse, school corporal punishment, attachment and bonding, the legal language that allows hitting of one's children but not others, and international perspectives on physical punishment. The book invites an exploration of who we are as parents, and as a society, and what family leadership really means. Book group questions for families, professionals, and organizations lend the book useful for conversation and dialogue in libraries, living rooms, offices, and classrooms. Erickson gives readers an open platform to discuss respectfully what we are really communicating when we spank children.