Best Self Help

Marjorie M. Chase:

This book is specifically designed as a workbook for those who have suffered from “Battered Women’s Syndrome” and/or other aspects of “domestic violence”. I find much irony in Dr. Kubany’s advice that “one needs to be out of an abusive relationship, before using this workbook”! I do understand the book’s assertions because half of the battle in fighting abuse is escaping from abusive people, but there are such rampant social abuses that this book fails to address as contributing factors!

The book seems to commercialize many aspects of “relationship abuse” that one might not be able to be aware of on their own if they are “stuck in an abusive relationship”, and are unable to find a strategy to escape their predicament, yet that is the premise of the workbook, to be “out of the relationship” before using this workbook.

As my personal experience with abuse has been far more complex than anything found in this primer, I found some of the exercises to be mundane reviews of personal reflections of self-worth…not my primary concern. There are, however, some helpful examples of reflective thought processes that prove to be useful, but in a very basic way, and is especially aimed towards those with low self-esteem.

If you are looking for something that addresses complex issues of abuses of political, legal, financial and/or familial/parental type abuses, this book fails that agenda. As I had also spoken personally with Dr. Kubany in Honolulu where he holds his practice, he sure doesn’t seem too interested or capable in addressing or helping with far more complex PTSD issues, and seems even less interested in obtaining potential clients! I was very disappointed in the book, but even more so with a lack of professional concern in regards to victims of abuse in general, other than marketing abuse ideology and this book!

This attitude is all too prevalent in the psychology/psychiatry and medical fields. No wonder there are so many injured people without help…many whom have turned to drug and/or alcohol abuses “to escape their horrible lives”. Unless you are on drugs and/or alcohol, the system fails you terribly! (Must be a federal/state/county funding failure???)

I have done much research on Complex PTSD, especially in relation to major financial and social politics and crimes and am happy to say that there is an attempt at the field with far more accurate information and favorable resources than was available even four years ago when this book was published in 2004.

This book will NOT specifically address other types of trauma except for a basic self-questionnaire regarding basic “old school theories” of causes of PTSD in relation to “battered woman syndrome” and/or “domestic violence”, as well as the newer political catchphrase of “anger management”. In my opinion, the majority of these “old school theories” are extremely outdated and lacking in current relativity to the rampant and ingrained levels of abuses in MANY aspects of our society, not just in relationships, and this book fails to recognize these as contributing factors, especially within the medical/psychiatric industries! I feel that abusive relationships are more of a symptom of underlying contributing factors within our government, communities, schools, churches, professional work, etc…if not intertwined, and that “domestic violence” is only one example of how “violence” is ingrained in our abusive society. This book is seriously lacking in addressing these other contributing factors…

I find most theoretical aspects of abuse to be quite outdated in general, (or strategically omission based)although providing some basic awareness to potential causes of basic PTSD relative to unhealthy relationships and unhealthy attitudes in general.

I must add that the book’s good points are in addressing the fact that it is a good workbook that will bring some self-awareness of one’s own vulnerable and self-destructive habits and situations, especially in regards to personal relationships with self and by others.
Rating: 2 / 5

Allison Gammons:

Fabulous book !! It is right on point about PTS. Step by step it guides you on how to deal with it.
Rating: 5 / 5