Gentling : a practical guide to treating PTSD in abused children

Gentling will acquaint the reader with a breakthough treatment approach for children who have survived physical, emotional and sexual abuse.  It is common knowledge that most children who have survived abuse will also have acquired Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).  While PTSD adds an additional layer to the need for therapeutic work, it needn't make therapy an even more difficult or painful process for the child.    PTSD takes many forms, and some of the symptoms seen in children may differ widely from adult PTSD symptoms. 

The Author of Gentling, William E. Krill, offers a groundbreaking and thorough look at the symptoms of PTSD in children, along with specific treatment modalities dependent on the individual child's symptomology.  Written in an easy to use, understand and utilize format, Gentling will allow caring individuals, from parent, foster parent, caregiver, teacher, and clinician or psychologist to offer each individual child the personalized and caring treatment needed for his or her specific abusive history.  Additionally, the book offers extremely valuable measurements to gauge the sucess of treatment and lead the way for further recovery. 

By adopting tried and true therapeutic approaches used on adults with PTSD; then modifying the approaches for children, Krill offers excellent advise for treatment on a continued basis, helping to ensure that children are given all the care they need for all the symptoms and results of the abuse.

Ad additional resource offered by the book is the inclusion of "Quick Teach Sheets" which can be copied and shared with parents, social workers, and all caregivers who come into contact with the child.   The book offers a complete and concise source of information to include the following:

• Learn how to manage the often intense reactivity seen in stress episodes
• Gain the practical, gentle, and effective treatment tools that really help these children
• Use the Child Stress Profile (CSP) to guide treatment and measure therapeutic outcomes.  

Any adult who works with children in nearly any capacity can find much helpful reference material within these pages.  I would feel confident recommending that all parents, teachers, foster parents, social workers, etc.; keep this book handy for continued reference. 

Reviewed by Paige Lovitt for Reader Views (8/09)

"Gentling" is described by the author as "... the process of delivering the balm of gentle gestures." This includes using both compassion and empathy in dealing with young children who are victims of severe abuse. In "Gentling," the author discusses his personal experiences in working with young children who have stress disorders. In doing so, he also thoroughly covers the differences in the behaviors of children who are acting out because of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD,) versus normal children who are just misbehaving. It is also noted that a child who is being raised in a home that is highly dysfunctional, can also experience stress disorders, even if an acute incident has not occurred.

Because young children's brains are still developing they tend to be more acutely affected by abuse and stressful environments. Based upon his experience, Krill has found that adult PTSD treatments cannot be successfully adapted to meet the needs of young children who are dealing with stress disorders. One reason why these treatments do not work on young children is because they are not yet able to express themselves like adults can. They also have not developed the same internal resources to draw upon that an adult can create.

Included in this book is an extensive appendices which provides vital information that includes a Child Stress Profile, Handouts for Caregivers, and Quick Teach Sheets. There are also interesting case studies which demonstrate how the gentling process was applied to real situations. Unfortunately, because many abused children end up being moved around in the foster care system, their treatments are interrupted. If more professionals became familiar with Gentling, then there would be more people to pick up where others left off.

Krill believes that victims of child abuse have their own version of PTSD. If this child does not receive appropriate treatment, the behaviors can become worse, more embedded and harder to treat. Therefore, I believe that it is essential that people who are involved with these children especially clinicians, parents, foster parents and teachers read "Gentling." By doing so it will help them to recognize the behaviors and deal with the child more effectively.