Nurturing Adoptions: Creating Resilience After Neglect and Trauma by Deborah D. Gray

Nurturing Adoptions: Creating Resilience After Neglect and Trauma Reviews

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  Erin

  This one read like a textbook, and therefore, took me a while to get through. It is very thorough on the neurological effects of abused/neglected/traumatized children and ways to treat/parent them. Honestly, my favorite part was on page 10 of this 500+ page book when the author states that she too was a child of trauma and that the only way she was truly able to heal was "through experiencing the love of Christ." That was the MOST important thing I read in this book but all the science and studies were fascinating as well.
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  Kaitlin

  Intended for adoption professionals. I didn't find much new here and recommend
  Attaching in Adoption: Practical Tools for Today's Parents instead.
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  K Bayko

  WOW that was AMAZING! Combines all the info from every other adoption book I can get my hands on into one (albeit long) text. It contains information for parents, teachers, social workers, and therapists.
  
  As a teacher I read so much I wish more parents know but that I cannot share (like if you have concerns for your child put it in writing & specifically ask for testing!). Also working with children through trauma in a school setting I see mirrors of the case studies the author presented. Yes, kiddos going through trauma really do act that way, say those things, have those feelings. This book does important work by showing prospective adopting parents what to expect realistically.
  
  As a hopeful future foster/adoptive mama myself I soaked in everything this book had to say. Ways to help a child process things, resources, you name it- it’s in this book. Highly recommend.
• 
  Juliet

  I have to admit I skimmed and even skipped some sections, focusing in on the sections of direct use to me. It has lots of good information.
• 
  Mia

  A helpful book for professionals working with adopted children and their families, as well as for parents who are up for the task of sorting through a lot of clinical and other information that may not apply to their specific case. It is not a simple "how-to" manual, but does contain lots of simple and direct ideas parents can use in helping their children to become more regulated, more optimistic and more open to growth.
  
  Gray does a good job of presenting the effects of trauma on the developing brain and on a child's outlook, and how those shape behavior going forward. She presents sound ideas for how parents can respond to the troubling and troublesome behaviors that so often result from neglect and trauma in a child's past.
  
  I have suggested this book, and especially Chapter 8 "Common Ground: What Parents, Caseworkers, Teachers and Therapists Can Do to Help" to the parents of several of my clients and feel strongly that parents can improve outcomes for everyone involved by clearly understanding this chapter and working on themselves and the environment they provide, as much as by 'working on' the child.
  
  As with every book I've read on the subject, I find the author optimistic in coming up with lengthy transition plans and treatment plans that assume months or years of treatment will be provided, and seems to believe in an imaginary world where teachers are flexible and have appropriate responses to child trauma, but I appreciate the ideology behind Gray's writing there.
  
  
  
  
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  Audra

  The first half had some interesting stuff about trauma & neglect, but I think I learned more about the neuroscience and biological effects from Bruce Perry's book. There are some good suggestions for families, I guess, though many seem far away for us right now. Definitely seems to be a better book for case workers.
• 
  Marsha

  I bought this book at a training by the author. Her presentation was excellent- compassionate, knowledgable, and engaging. I have high hopes for the book.
• 
  Stacy

  Another great adoption reference book with great information. A must for any parent of a child that has experienced any type of trauma.