Soul Survivors: A New Beginning for Adults Abused as Children

Addressed to adults who suffered from child abuse of all kinds, this comprehensive guide by a San Francisco clinical psychologist is a model of clarity and organization. Through case histories of six patients who experienced one or a combination of physical, sexual and emotional abuse in which substance abuse by both abuser and/or victim often played a part, Gannon helps readers recognize which type of abuse they themselves were subjected to, what psychological defenses they developed and what impact abuses had on their lives as lover, spouse, parent, worker. A final section is devoted to a three-stage, flexible 21-step healing process: from child victim to adult survivor, to ``self-thriver.'' Gannon counsels against attempting recovery on one's own in favor of help from a therapist and from a support group. Keeping a journal, he advises, is also essential to record progress, as an outlet for powerful blocked memories and emotions and as a path to self-acceptance and to spiritual renewal. (Sept.)