Author Description

For a child in the midst of abuse--emotional, physical, or sexual--his or her world has often come to a halt. As the child tries to deal with the abuse, his or her behavior could include shutting down, acting out, or anything in between. The secret of abuse becomes woven into the child's heart and mind. The child may be shamed into believing that the abuse is his or her fault. Sometimes threats of more harm, including the child's death or the death of a loved one, are used to manipulate the child into keeping the secret in the dark. Both Shelby's Secret and A Guide to Using Shelby's Secret are intended to help children stop the lies they have come to believe about the abuse and encourage them to share their secret. In addition, both books are designed to help adults who work with abused children feel confident in addressing the issue of abuse in a safe and non-threatening manner regardless of their experience with abuse. While Shelby's Secret is designed to be read with the child, A Guide to Using Shelby's Secret helps faciliate dialogue between the adult and the child. Shelby can be a great tool to encourage children who live in the shadows of abuse step into the light and share their secret.--Website description.