The New Social Worker Vol. 20, No. 3, Summer 2013 | Page 33

perspective allows Woody to offer practical yet realistic advice. In the preface, Woody states that Legal Self-Defense for Mental Health Practitioners emphasizes two aspects for practitioners: “(1) providing safeguards from problems and (2) protecting the rights of BOTH the mental health practitioner and the service user” (xii). These are the guiding principles for the remainder of the book. Woody stays true to his promise by providing numerous illustrations of legal difficulties, offering preventive measures so these do not recur, and suggesting best practices for human service workers. This framework is not only sufficient; it is also extremely informative. Needless to say, I would recommend this book to anyone in the field. For those newer to the profession, topics such as treatment planning, avoiding clinical errors, maintaining records, and ethical decision-making are discussed thoroughly and in such a manner that it would be hard to argue against implementing Woody’s suggestions early in one’s career. Woody also devotes one chapter (albeit short) to issues faced by independent practitioners; this serves as a primer for those debating the pros and cons of opening their own practice. My only complaint with the book was what I perceived to be a pessimistic accounting of legal ramifications for practitioners faced with legal and/or ethical battles. Perhaps this critique is naïve on my part. After all, I am a practitioner who has had the fortune of never being the recipient of legal or ethical complaints. And perhaps, more so, this was Woody’s intent: to alert all those in the human services that times have changed, that we practice in an unpredictable environment, and that simply being good at what we do is not enough to protect ourselves from legal and/or ethical hazards. If this was Woody’s intent—and I believe it was—then he has achieved his purpose, and my only complaint is unfounded. Reviewed by Erick Lear, MSSA, LMSW, Ph.D., adjunct faculty, University of Phoenix. Will I Ever Be Good Enough? Healing the Daughters of Narcissistic Mothers, by Karyl McBride, Ph.D., Atria Books, 2009, 272 pages, $16 paperback. This book begins with the following quote: “There was a little girl who had a little curl right in the middle of her forehead, and when she was good she was

criticized anyway.” –Elan Golomb, Ph.D., Trapped in the Mirror In a world where mothers are revered and where maternal traits include kindness, warmth, and giving, this book is for those whose experiences are quite the opposite. For anyone who has memories of a mother who steals the spotlight, who belittles them, or who lacks empathy, this book is geared toward you. For anyone whose clients have experienced this specific mothering trauma, this book will likely also help a clinician both better understand that life experience and better guide the client to a healthier place. Written by the self-proclaimed daughter of a narcissistic mother, this book is divided into three sections—recognizing the problem, how narcissistic mothering affects your life, and ending the legacy. Each of these topics not only guides the reader through self-exploration as the section is broken into smaller pieces; it is also filled with quotes from the author’s clients regarding their experiences. This creates a space of shared experience and helps the reader to understand which aspect of the mother/daughter relationship to focus on in that specific moment. I’m not sure whether a non-clinician with a typical mother/daughter relationship will benefit from this book. However, the read is likely quite a comforting experience for people who have felt alone and awkward when trying to explain why they aren’t close to their mothers or maybe why they have severed ties completely. Many of the quotes throughout this book focus not only on the traumatizing experiences of being born to a narcissistic mother, but also the difficulty in others understanding the stress and the isolation of this upbringing. Although the lessons and thoughts in the book are quite specific to this need, some who aren’t yet ready for the healing may begin to do so anyway, simply by reading the quotes of others and feeling less alone, making this a great starting place for clients who may be angry or hurt but are otherwise not in the therapeutic place to have the language or the openness to begin to work through to a healthier life. In addition to the hardback and paperback options, this book is available both for Kindle and as an audiobook, which really opens this book up to be an option for clients of all reading levels and ages, as this experience may be causing difficulty even in clients whose mothers are long passed. This book’s separated sections, multitude of client quotes, and variety of formats

truly makes this a great book for any clinician to offer to appropriate clients, as well as for readers to pick up on their own. Reviewed by Kristen Marie (Kryss) Shane, MSW, LSW, LMSW. Child Sexual Abuse: Best Practices for Interviewing and Treatment, by Monit Cheung, Lyceum Books, Inc., Chicago, 2012, 504 pages, $76.46. In the 2012 book, Child Sexual Abuse: Best Practices for Interviewing and Treatment, Monit Cheung provides anyone working with child sexual abuse a comprehensive guide to evidence-based interventions in the field. Cheung illustrates a thorough knowledge of this topic from providing the audience information on assessment, interviewing, and treatment to working within the legal system. From reading this guide, one will become familiar with child sexual abuse and how professionals can use proven interventions to ensure best practice. In addition to detailed entries about screening, interviewing, and prosecution of child sexual abuse cases, Cheung provides multiple interactive assessments that workers can use in their field of practice. For example, there is a checklist to determine the credibility of a child who is being interviewed. Included also in the text are multiple diagrams, charts, and figures to make for a reading experience that is multi-dimensional. Sections of this book are also dedicated to the families of the child who has experienced the trauma. Overall, Cheung has written a book that includes important information for those working in the field of child welfare. Through reading this text, you will be provided with evidence-based protocols that are used when assessing and intervening with child sexual abuse cases. Even more helpful is the clearly stated information on the legal process. Professionals, families, court personnel, or anyone interested in gaining knowledge on child sexual abuse can utilize this text to gain a wide range of knowledge on the topic. Reviewed by Maria Petrides, BSW, MSW candidate at the University of Michigan.

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The New Social Worker

Summer 2013

31