Stolen Childhoods is one of the better book resources for those who have had trauma in their childhood. It not only helps you understand what has happened, what it looks like, effective tools within the clinical world, but also actual concrete steps moving forward for those who may still be stuck or are trying to identify where they are. I greatly appreciated the whole part about anger, as most books tell you one of the results of childhood abuse is anger, but they don't really dive into the how and/or why as to dealing with the anger. This one lists five different types, that while little in detail, sometimes the simply said has the greatest impact. My favorite thing about this is actionable, concrete steps for those wanting to move forward. For that part alone, I highly highly recommend it. Honestly, I want a copy as a reference point for my own personal bookshelf.
*I received a copy of this book from NetGalley. This review is my own opinion*

This was a wonderful book. The storyline was well thought out and the writing was perfect. How this book was formatted allowed the book to flow really well which made it easy to read. I can’t wait to get my other reader friends to read this.

Thank you NetGalley and Rowman & Littlefield for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I had high hopes for this book based on subject matter alone, but unfortunately it wasn't well written. I have read many books on childhood abuse and this one was very disjointed and confusing in places. There are some "plot holes" so to speak- ie, the author saying there are 4 types of narcissistic abuse and then only mentioning 3 types. There were also inaccuracies that made me lose trust in the author's authority, such as referring to ADHD as "ADHD disorder".

This review was made possible via an ARC through NetGalley

Stolen Childhood by Shari Botwin is a nonfiction focused on helping to validate the feelings and experiences of survivors of childhood abuse and how to move forward. The book includes affirmations, steps to take, and stories of adult patients who are figuring things out.

What’s nice is that Shari Botwin is both a psychologist and herself a survivor of abuse so you can feel how much she understands the pain of being an adult living with the aftereffects of being abused as a child and how hard it is to accept that pain while also giving readers the information from the specialists’ side. That empathy does make some of the information in the book easier to swallow and breaks down certain barriers that can be formed when experts who don't have personal experience discuss difficult topics.

The chapter on parenthood was one that was particularly full of hope but also on the harsh realities of the fear of perpetuating the cycle of abuse.

I would recommend this to anyone who is a survivor of childhood abuse, those who are looking to enter the mental health care profession or becoming a foster parent, and anyone who has someone in their lives who is a survivor of childhood abuse.