Don't Hit My Mommy: A Manual For Child-parent Psychotherapy With Young Witnesses Of Family Violence

by Alicia F. Lieberman, Patricia Van Horn

This practical handbook offers treatment guidelines to address the behavioral and mental health problems of young children whose most intimate relationships are disrupted by the experience of violence. Practitioners from a variety of disciplines will gain an understanding of the impact of violence and will discover concrete intervention strategies to address the consequences of this experience for young children.

Genres: Psychology, Social Work

146 pages, Paperback

First published November 30, 2004

Reviews

[Molly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this for a class in my Infant Mental Health program. The framework of CPP was clearly laid out as were the domains of intervention (play, sensory motor, ghosts/angels in the nursery) and how they provide a port of entry into the work. I am grateful to have this one on the shelf to refer to!

[Heather Baker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading this one now for a training that I'm involved in. Very insightful into the world of helping traumatized children through their parents - which is so crucial to "littles."

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I won't get into proselytizing about different therapeutic strategies, as it seems that this particular modality is a certainly heated topic among practitioners working with young children and evidence-based practices. As CPP is not a highly structured modality, at least in the way that it is conveyed in this manual, I appreciated the brevity of this book and the format of providing numerous clinical examples, one for each of the multiple areas within each domains of approaching therapy with clients. I do appreciate the concepts provided here by this modality, but it serves to make me think of something I find myself being highly uncomfortable with: child-centered play therapy. CPP is inadvertently conveyed as an amalgam of child-centered play therapy and parent-coaching modalities a la Parent-Child interaction Therapy. Having a background in both areas, these concepts make sense to me. However, I tend to lean towards the CBT-type intervention style that is the structures, objective manner by which data is collected, analyzed, and measured. Therefore, it's hard for me to completely buy into this modality as a primary format for treating trauma in young children. Despite this juxtaposition with my core comfort level in providing therapy, I will absolutely take away many pointers and suggestions, as well as the core understanding of where CPP comes from.

[Caitlin Forcier · Rating 5 out of 5]

Obviously one of the more niche reads I’ve done this year.

Working in the field of infant mental health (0-5) is not an area I’d ever have believed I’d find myself in, but what a joy it is to see attachment and attunement grow between a caregiver and their young child. CPP changed my life as a practitioner, a human, and a mother. This book grows with me- it is my second time reading it, and both times have left me speechless. What an important job being a parent is. If you work with littles, or if you work with adults with littles, I highly recommend this book ❤️

[Robin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Required reading for my job. The case studies were helpful in illuminating different child-parent psychotherapy concepts, and they comprise the bulk of the book. However, I think I’d learn better by seeing this type of therapeutic intervention in action, since it doesn’t have very specific guidelines. I also am more interested in how it can be applied through different kinds of therapy.

[Cassy Firkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this for work. It lays out a model for helping babies/young children and families impacted by trauma by working with the parent and child together in sessions. This model should be a standard practice used with children and families involved with the foster care system.

[LittleBookLoves · Rating 5 out of 5]

This manual is very helpful and a must-read for any clinician/therapist implementing Child-Parent Psychotherapy. My copy is now packed with highlights, comments in the margins, and sticky notes.

[Tania Bradkin · Rating 5 out of 5]

PHENOMENAL MODALITY LOVE LOVE LOVE will write more later

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Feels a little dumb to write a review for a training manual, but this book made me stoked to start implementing the model so I’ll give it 5 stars anyway.

[Mary Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this for a class and the case examples are very helpful and practical. The author helps reading tackle very sensitive issues in a repectful and reflective manner.

[Marva · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is non-fiction; a therapist book.