Healing the Scars of Childhood Abuse: Moving beyond the Past into a Healthy Future

This book came at a perfect time as I am working through my past. Like his other books, Dr. Jantz mixes truth, hope, and encouragement in this book. He encourages us to really consider our responses today and if/how we minimize the impact of our childhood. He clearly defines abuse and neglect in a way that doesn't minimize its impact and he further shows how it could be impacting us as adults. For me, this book helped validate the things I experienced as a child and reminded me of the importance of working through my past so I don't have to be continually weighed down by it!

The author does an excellent job describing various forms of abuse and their affect, but I was disappointed in his section on healing. It is very short and bible oriented. Not very helpful.

I can relate to this book and counseled through the issues at the Center.I benefit from all Dr. Jantz books and I'm so thankful for him and the amazing place of healing I found at the Center.I have recommended this book to others.Thank you

This book takes a comprehensive look at different types of child abuse and how it can bleed into adult life. It also provides helpful tools for overcoming these scars.

Glad I purchased it in more ways than one! 🙏🏽👌🏽

Very helpful in letting me know how to get around my childhood and adult relationship. Differences in both sides and give self love.

When I chose to review this book I wasn’t 100% set on what to expect. I mean I don’t typically pick up a self-help book for review, first; but secondly these type of books can go only two ways. Completely over the top and less than helpful or very thought provoking and life altering. Of course this book has to change it all up and fit in neither camp. It’s not life altering but it is very informative. It’s not over the top but it does make you think for a moment of two. I actually think that this is a book that all parents, caregivers, or anyone who has an authoritarian role in the life of a child; not just someone who has come through the other side of childhood abuse and is looking for sustenance and healing.Broken into three distinct sections this book is a great reference point for anyone that works with children as well as survivors. Part one identifies the different types of abuse. Not only talking about emotional, physical, and sexual but also breaks in down further with specific and encompassing examples. I appreciate that the author details that while all are common at one time or another for every parent and every child having a few experiences does not create a pattern of abuse. No one is perfect and no childhood is perfect either. However, a persistent pattern of these experiences and/or even one very large event that has life-reaching impact. (Being yelled at once or twice vs a consistent pattern of yelling or in the case of sexual abuse one occurrence can alter a life forever.) The next section of the book details various and detailed ways that children cope with and react to the abuse that reaches into their own adulthood. Finally there is the section that deals with healing, including spiritual healing.All the sections provide case studies, personal antidotes, and survivor stories. This book is not a replacement for therapy, where warranted, nor does it ‘cure’ a childhood. Written from a Christian perspective this book would be a great resource for someone who has already started the process of healing their own lives. I have to reiterate again as well that anyone who has role of authority of power in the life of a child should read this book. Not only to recognize our own patterns of interaction that could potentially be tweaked, but also to help better recognize our own interactions and pitfalls as we engage with this fragile and precious young lives.I was provided a complimentary copy of this book by NetGalley. I was not compensated for this review and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. I was not required to write a positive review.

I received this book as a gift and enjoyed reading it. It is well-written, very inspirational, and very helpful to those who suffered from abuse. I shared this book with my significant other who was abused as a child and I can tell it's helping him get over his painful past. I love the book because it gave me a better perspective in understanding and help heal others. Highly recommended to anyone!

It was OK. Didn’t help me much though.