In Haunted Children Arthur F. Roemmelt '65, M.D., relates stories of his years as a child psychiatrist, sharing the experiences of children with a variety of psychiatric disorders and emphasizing the intensive and creative relationship necessary for the children to develop in a healthy fashion. The author discusses the movement of psychiatry away from psychotherapy toward strategic interventions and pharmacology and the consequences of this transformation. He argues that, although the latter treatment is seen as more efficient and available, it can also promote certain maladies such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and child abuse. Roemmelt concludes that what essentially is troubling many children is better confronted in therapy rather than treated with medications.
Reviews
"Haunted Children is fascinating. The cases are brief but pointed. Roemmelt dances around the reader with just the sort of inventive variety and surprises that I imagine he would use in his therapy. The domain of child therapy is important enough, but the struggle over the therapeutic agenda and the correlated criteria for success is extremely important. Therapists, other professionals, clinical students and parents as well will find much they can admire and learn from in this informally written treasure chest." -- Richard D. Mann, author of The Light of Consciousness: Explorations in Transpersonal Psychology"I was touched by this book and felt that I came to know the author and the children he described. The author's creativity, passion and compassion, his insistence upon finding the person of the child, and his open questioning of himself and his profession are compelling." -- John Sargent, MD, Menninger Clinic
