An Illustrated Overview of Life with the Disturbed Foster or Adopted Child.

Describes tell-tale "survival behaviors" displayed by troubled and/or formerly abused children.

Addresses the predictable, devastating impact of the disturbed child on the foster or adoptive family.

Provides unique family-based strategies that focus on changing disruptive behaviors, while building bridges between child and family.

Includes: 68 Pages

The Healing Power of the Family: An Illustrated Overview of Life with the Disturbed Foster or Adopted Child

by: Richard Delaney, Ph.D.

The Healing Power of the Family offers a non-technical approach to understanding and treating disturbed foster and adopted children. Written in Dr. Delaney's straightforward and sometimes humorous style, this book puts "front-line" strategies in the hands of the reader. The book is divided into 5 chapters accompanied by cartoon illustrations that help capture the essence of these serious problem at a glance, while adding a little humor to the mix.

• The introduction describes the nature and scope of the problems the foster care system has with caring for its children and preparing its parents.
• In the second chapter, Dr. Delaney reviews 19 problem behaviors that are common among foster and adoptive children. Brief but vivid descriptions give the reader a surprising amount of background information and insight into each problem, which include: fire-setting, sexualized behavior, lying, stealing, depression, defiance, running away, anger outbursts, and others.
• The third chapter discusses the tremendous and sometimes destabilizing impact troubled foster and adoptive children have on the family. Dr. Delaney also debunks social stereotypes that blame and place extraordinary demands on the mother and marginalize the father's parenting role.
• The fourth chapter gives parents creative and positive strategies on how to solve problem behaviors when conventional parenting approaches simply don't work. These include using strategies such as surprise, paradox, role-reversal, doing less not more, and technology. In one example involving an adoptive child who had a desperate need to control her siblings, Dr. Delaney recommends giving her that power. Interestingly, in this case, 24 hours later and the child was worn down and turned off by having to answer her sibling's every question on what to do next and how. Each application includes useful information about the child's history so that the reader can better understand the possible causes of the problem behavior.
• The last chapter is devoted to discussions on four special issues in foster and adoptive care: 1) the tendency to idealize birth parents and devalue foster/adoptive parents, 2) children's search for their birth family, 3) triggers that can set off strong reactions in foster and adopted children, and 4) resiliency in children.

The Healing Power of the Family is a tribute to foster and adoptive parents and to the nurturing influence they have on the disturbed children who have joined their families.

Includes: 68 Pages

Also Available as an

• Audio Book or
• English version book

"Yo he trabajado la mayoria de mi vida ayudando a familias y ni'os que vienen de hogares abusivos, muchas veces los m'todos tradicionales para mejorar el comportamiento de estos ni'os no son efectivos. En este lbra, Richard Delaney ofrece ideas frescas que da esperanza a todo padre que se enfoca en entender y explorar nuevas ideas para crear un major ambiente familiar."

- Gilbert Garcia, LMSW, Regional Director South Texas, Lutheran Social Services of The South, Inc.

"El Dr. Delaney tiene un conocimiento que le permite compreder la din' de las familias de crianzo o familias adoptivas y lo brinda con calidez, humor y compassion."

- Bill y Mary Pelma, Padres de crianza y Entrendores para padres de crianza

"...una excelente y humoristica herramienta que ayuda a aquellos que se embarcan en la experiencia de las familias adoptivas o familias de crianza."

- Phyllis Stoner, Coordinator Especializado con Padres de crianza

Foster Parents Speak: Crossing Bridges and Fostering Changes