Book Reviews
Book Review by Andy Liefooghe
Counselling and supporting Children in Distress
Sharp, S. & Cowie, H. (1998) -
London:Sage.
The aim of the new book by Sonia Sharp and Helen Cowie is to outline the ways in which all adults involved in the care of children and adolescents can play a part in supporting these young people at times of emotional distress. They argue throughout that this is not only the domain of the expert. We are all responsible for the emotional well-being of young people and potentially can play our part in alleviating their distress. Professional therapeutic work with children and young people must take place within a clear framework of knowledge, competence and ethics.
However, there are many ways in which any adult can help and support a young person in distress. Indeed, it can sometimes be unhelpful to the child to have contact with new and unfamiliar adults at the time of unhappiness since he or she is likely to turn first to significant figures, and there are times when by relocating the supportive relationship to a professional, we can unwittingly undermine the quality and confidence of natural supportive relationships.
Sharp and Cowie discuss the role to be played by parents, teachers and other adults in the child’s life in creating an environment which is conducive to mental health.
In Chapter 2, they look at the sources of unhappiness amongst young people, and explore the causes of stress.
In Chapter 3, the issue of children’s grief over serious loss is investigated. By considering the nature of loss and the processes of grieving as they apply to children and adolescents, the ways in which adults can work supportively with individual children are examined.
Chapter 4 focuses on creative approaches, including the use of art work, story-telling, drama and play, as media for children to express their emotions, explore and understand their experiences and work out future solutions. These approaches are also used widely in clinical settings as therapy and can be adapted for use in educational and family settings.
In Chapter 5, Sharp & Cowie discuss the role of peers in alleviating young people’s distress.
Peer support systems can offer help when it is most needed. These systems appear in a variety of forms, including befriending, Circles of Friends, mediation and conflict resolution, and counselling-based approaches. They overview how they work, how useful they are to young people in need and their wider impact on the school’s emotional climate. They evaluate the role of this type of intervention in facilitating a sense of responsibility in young people themselves over the distress of their peers, and discuss some of the critical factors which must be taken into account when setting up a peer support service.
In Chapter 6, the common fears and phobias of childhood are scrutinized and shown how they change over time, how they may emerge in school settings and how they can affect behaviour at home and in school.
Chapter 7 deals with the impact of social rejection and victimisation on children’s mental health, with a particular focus on documented interventions to improve social relationships and reduce bullying.
In Chapter 8, they review the nature of aggressive and disruptive behaviour. The need to understand why these behaviours occur are emphasised and suggestions are made that changes in the young person can often be achieved through changing the social environment.
Chapter 9 regards the impact of programmes for emotional literacy and social competence. The book ends by affirming the importance with which all adults should view the task of supporting young people in need by creating contexts to promote mental health and emotional resilience.
This book is a must-have for anyone interested or working in this area;
order your copy now.
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