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PB 8(3):332-335 (1997)

The Management of the Severely Disturbed Adolescent by William M. Easson Madison, CT: International Universities Press, 1996, viii + 353 pp., $55.00

Author: Revella Levin PhD

Abstract

I must begin with the caveat that this is not a psychoanalytic book, although a token reference to Kohut is mentioned. Nonetheless, it may be useful to practitioners who treat severely disturbed adolescents. The author, while apparently not interesting himself in his patients' unconscious, does seem sympathetic to their pain. Further, there can be no question of his enormous experience in this area. He includes almost 100 beautifully written descriptions of many different kinds of adolescent problems at his facility. These will go far to familiarize inexperienced practitioners with the panoply of difficulties that they may encounter. It is too difficult to describe how excellent vignettes these are without giving an example:

Fifteen-year-old Bill was a loner. He had been living with his elderly great grandmother since his drug-abusing mother abandoned him when he was an infant. His great grandmother made no secret of the fact that she kept him only because of the monthly welfare check and that she really just wanted to be left alone. By the time Bill came for treatment, he was the drug supplier for the local high school. He stated quite openly that he
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liked the money and had absolutely no concern for anyone else. He volunteered that he had never had a friend and emphasized the absolute freedom that having no friends gave him. Money and drug dealing were Bill's way of life, so this was the initial basis of the psychotherapist's interaction with him.
For several months, the therapist and Bill talked about the drug scene. First they read the local newspaper together. It was easy to select the news items about drug dealing, there were so many. About some aspects of drug dealing, the therapist knew more than Bill, and she taught him. But most often he knew much more about drug dealing, just like any other form of commercial enterprise. The psychotherapist began to teach this adolescent how to begin using this interaction that focused on drug dealing. (p. 168)

I selected t

PB 8(3):332-335 (1997)

The Management of the Severely Disturbed Adolescent by William M. Easson Madison, CT: International Universities Press, 1996, viii + 353 pp., $55.00

Author: Revella Levin PhD

Abstract

Fifteen-year-old Bill was a loner. He had been living with his elderly great grandmother since his drug-abusing mother abandoned him when he was an infant. His great grandmother made no secret of the fact that she kept him only because of the monthly welfare check and that she really just wanted to be left alone. By the time Bill came for treatment, he was the drug supplier for the local high school. He stated quite openly that he
Page 332
liked the money and had absolutely no concern for anyone else. He volunteered that he had never had a friend and emphasized the absolute freedom that having no friends gave him. Money and drug dealing were Bill's way of life, so this was the initial basis of the psychotherapist's interaction with him.
For several months, the therapist and Bill talked about the drug scene. First they read the local newspaper together. It was easy to select the news items about drug dealing, there were so many. About some aspects of drug dealing, the therapist knew more than Bill, and she taught him. But most often he knew much more about drug dealing, just like any other form of commercial enterprise. The psychotherapist began to teach this adolescent how to begin using this interaction that focused on drug dealing. (p. 168)

I selected t