Children's Rights, Therapists' Responsibilities: Feminist Commentaries - Review

Adolescence, Summer, 2001

ANDERSON, Gail, and HILL, Marcia (Eds.). Children's Rights, Therapists' Responsibilities: Feminist Commentaries. New York: Harrington Park Press, 1997. 141 pp. $34.95 (h), $19.95 (p).

This book addresses specific practice dimensions that will help therapists organize and resolve conflicts about working with children, adolescents, and their families in therapy. A collection of pieces on specific potentially problematic therapy conditions, therapists can easily turn to their area of interest for advice. Each chapter stands alone while building upon the big picture of feminist ethics and therapy with children and adolescents. Providing a feminist focus on the mental health rights and needs of children and adolescents, Children 's Rights, Therapists' Responsibilities emphasizes our need to make the best decisions without letting personal prejudices, biases, experiences, needs, or desires cloud our judgment. The reader will uncover valuable insight and information on: presentation and recommendation of the Feminist Model of Ethical Decision-Making; information on respecting the human rights of children with disabilities and children of color; advice on the what, when, and how of talking about d onor identity with children of lesbian parents; description of a respectful approach to working with adolescent girls and strengthening their voices; description of the effects of witnessing violence on children who have lived with domestic abuse; and examination of the Children of Separation and Divorce Model.