Tag: book review

Afraid of the Doctor-a book review

“Afraid of the Doctor” by Meghan L. Marsac and Melissa J. Hogan guides parents in preventing and managing medical trauma in children. It offers twelve strategies to support emotional well-being. The authors emphasize addressing both child and parent trauma during healthcare challenges.

Afraid of the Doctor: Every Parent’s Guide to Preventing and Managing Medical Trauma

by Meghan L. Marsac and Melissa J. Hogan

Written by two women who care about children, a lawyer and a psychologist, this book helps parents support their children through medical challenges and prevent or manage medical trauma.

Medical trauma can arise from a severe illness or injury, or from the treatment of a serious medical condition. Either way, this book addresses how these healthcare experiences lead to medical trauma in children, affecting their willingness to engage with medical care.

Afraid of the Doctor

Every Parent’s Guide to Preventing and Managing Medical Trauma

The authors’ goal is to give parents knowledge and skills to understand and address medical trauma, to better care for their child’s emotional and physical well-being during medical challenges.

The book offers twelve strategies parents can use to prevent and reduce medical trauma and support their child through medical interventions or chronic conditions.

Readers learn these strategies through character stories, anecdotes, step-by-step guides, examples, and research. These strategies can be adapted for specific groups, like very young children or those with cognitive or communication challenges.

Parents can experience trauma from managing their child’s medical challenges. The authors include tools for parents to recognize and address their response to medical trauma while caring for their child. 

Read Sample from Book

Meet The Authors

Meghan L. Marsac

Dr. Meghan Marsac is a pediatric psychologist and Associate Professor at the University of Kentucky and Kentucky Children’s Hospital.

She is a leader in the field of pediatric medical trauma, having multiple publications. Her primary goal is to improve the experience of living with medical conditions for children and families.

Dr. Marsac serves on the editorial board of the Journal of Pediatric Psychology and Journal of Traumatic Stress. Dr. Marsac has spoken extensively on understanding and promoting adjustment to injury and illness in children and their families.

She is CEO of the Cellie Coping Company, which has distributed over 2000 coping kits to families of children with medical conditions.

Dr. Marsac trains medical teams in trauma-informed medical care. Clinically, Dr. Marsac promotes evidence-based practices to help families manage medical treatment and emotional adjustment to challenging diagnoses and medical procedures. 

​She is the mom of two energetic, loving boys. They enjoy playing outside, playing tag, reading, playing video games, and creating projects.

​

Melissa J. Hogan

Melissa J. Hogan, JD, has a child with a rare, genetic disease who has faced a countless number of surgeries, specialists, and as a result, medical trauma. In addition to advocating for her son’s needs, she consults on clinical trials in rare and neurodegenerative disorders. Her articles have been published in several medical journals.

She founded the leading research and advocacy foundation in Hunter syndrome, Project Alive, which has raised millions of dollars for research.

She has worked as a healthcare attorney and speaks on health care and educational advocacy, rare diseases, and clinical trials.

She lives with her three sons and a service dog outside Nashville, Tennessee.

Authors’ Recommended Resources

After the Injury

Health Care Toolbox

The National Child Traumatic Stress Network

Resource to Download: What is Child Trauma?
c09d8214-c91f-43a0-a19c-486e2eca3ee6Download

Why I recommend Afraid of the Doctor

I found this book browsing at my local library. I had never seen a book addressing this topic so I am glad to find this one.(I put affiliate links in this post.)

This book made me wonder how many children may have experienced trauma from encounters with me as a physician, not something I intentionally caused. I realized procedures that health professionals and even parents consider routine, like an X-ray or drawing blood, can be traumatic to children.

I recommend this book to every parent who wants to prepare their child for encounters with the healthcare system, especially for children with medical needs that require frequent and invasive contact.

The authors present the information in a straightforward, easy-to-understand format, utilizing twelve effective strategies. They explain what to do, how to do it, and offer examples of children and parents who used the strategy.

By the end of the book, we have followed each child’s story and see how they and their parent successfully managed medical trauma.

I recommend this book. If you don’t need it, you probably know someone who does. Do them a favor and forward this review to them.

This information is current as of the date of original publication or update. It may have changed by the time you read this. I invite you to fact-check what you read here.

This information is not intended for diagnosis or treatment. Before making health decisions, discuss with your physician or other qualified healthcare provider to decide what is right for you.

Exploring the HEART of Health

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Another review- a book that teaches kids about the human body

HUMAN BODY Learning Lab-book review

“Human Body Learning Lab” by Dr. Betty Choi offers an engaging exploration of the human body for curious kids. Dr. Choi, a pediatrician and mom, provides an easy-to-understand guide, complete with hands-on activities. The book also includes important disclaimers for parents. Written for kids aged 5 to 9, it’s a valuable resource for parents and…

Keep reading

YOUR KID DID WHAT? -a book review

“Your Kid Did What?” by Paula M. Lau, LPC, LADC, is a candid memoir and guide for parents facing unexpected challenges with their children’s choices. Through personal experiences, Paula offers practical strategies and faith-based insights for coping with difficult situations, emphasizing self-care, establishing boundaries, and seeking support.

YOUR KID DID WHAT?

Strategies for Reclaiming Joy When Parenting Gets Tough

By Paula M. Lau, LPC, LADC

Your Kid Did What? by Paula Lau licensed professional counselor is a candid memoir and expert guide for parents who get “slapped in the face” by a child’s unexpected and challenging life choices.

Even in the best circumstances, children may choose lifestyles or behaviors parents don’t understand or approve of. Parents feel disappointed, angry, or even fearful for their child’s choices. They wonder what they did wrong or did not do right, and spiral into denial, blame, and rejection.

Paula’s personal story

Paula felt unprepared for her family’s struggle, and as she attempted to fix the situation she made missteps that made things worse and later regretted. She felt isolated and alone when some of her Christian friends offered little if any support or just withdrew.

In her role as a professional counselor, Paula had seen this happen to others, but when it happened to her and her husband she was surprised at the emotions it stirred up. After a time of anguish and soul searching, she realized the only way to deal with her pain was to turn to God with her Christian faith.

She needed a path forward into acceptance, so she sought answers by reading the Bible, praying, and listening to Christian music. She also applied the same psychological principles she skillfully uses with clients and students.

She shared her insights by teaching a class at her church leading to the idea of a book. She felt God directing her to be discreet in what she revealed about her family’s experience and to ask for and receive her son’s permission to share the story that involves him.

Paula’s insights and recommendations

In her book, Paula describes what happens when parents meet the unexpected challenge of a “prodigal” child, a “frightening detour”, issues like sexuality, school dropout, substance use, unhealthy relationships, rejection of faith, or legal problems. Parents may cope with denial, blame-shifting, magical thinking, and a martyrdom complex, all counterproductive.

She provides strategies for dealing with fear, negative thinking, and anxiety. She urges practical self-care like sleep and exercise. She recommends physical, emotional, and mental boundaries and explains how to set them.

“Our emotions are often indicators of a deeper internal struggle that may not yet be verbal. We may not be able to voice the realization our boundaries are being violated, but our feelings will alert us something is wrong. We can experience internal discomfort.”

In each chapter, Paula provides questions for self-reflection with space to record your insights. Each chapter concludes with a suggested Bible reading, a prayer, and a song by a Christian music artist.

Written with a Faith-based Perspective

This book is unapologetically Christian faith-based but does not disparage other faiths or no faith. If you share her Christian worldview, you will appreciate how Paula combines that with a psychological framework for dealing with trauma. Others can still benefit from her insights and professional expertise. You may choose to look further into the source of her faith.

Read an excerpt from Your Kid Did What? at this link

A Personal Connection

Paula and I attend the same church so I have known her for several years. I have felt her kindness and generosity. She did not ask me to review her book but gave me a complimentary PDF copy when I offered.

I talked to her about her book and asked a few questions. She writes that God “revealed” things to her. She explained she hears from God through the Bible or sermons, and occasionally something she “feels deep within.”

I asked Paula what she wanted readers to take from her book. She said there’s no “5-step” formula to dealing with these situations. But she offered these suggestions.

  • Don’t isolate yourself. Talk to a trusted person.
  • Be willing to adapt and change.
  • Be prepared for difficult conversations.
  • Listen to the Lord.

Early In the book she writes

I endeavor to help you build a sturdy foundation on which to stand as you move forward, despite what life throws at you.

These activities can strengthen you in the worst times and bring transformation when you thought it was impossible.

We need these outcomes in any challenging situation no matter the source. I personally found Paula’s book helpful and insightful and I believe you will also.

The author-Paula Lau

Paula M. Lau is a licensed professional counselor and licensed alcohol and drug abuse counselor. She earned a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Doane University and a master’s in Christian Counselling from Oral Roberts University. She has worked as a private therapist and at mental health agencies.

Now Paula serves as a crisis and referral counselor for middle and high school students at Jenks Public Schools, one of the largest school districts in Oklahoma.

In that capacity, she has responded to multiple crises at the schools involving student and staff deaths over the past 15 years, providing staff support and resources to families in the community.

Paula’s roles include assessing and counseling students and their families regarding depression, anxiety, substance abuse, and suicide risk. She also consults for substance abuse education classes and referrals for counseling.

Paula has written articles and curricula about substance abuse and mental health issues. She received the Vision of Excellence Award for her outstanding contributions to the Jenks Public School District.

Paula serves on the Women’s Ministry team at her church. She lives in Tulsa Oklahoma with her husband Rick and one sweet, American bulldog. They have three adult sons.

Paula enjoys speaking at church, business, community, and school events.

Find Paula on her website paulalau.com and Instagram @healthyperspectiveswithPaula.

You can reach her at paula.lau02@gmail.com

Your Kid Did What? is published by Lisa D. Vest, Melbourne, FL

Printed by Camden House Books

Distributed by getmynewbook.com

Sources for Scripture

In Your Kid Did What? Paula used Scripture from the New Living Translation (NLT) and the New King James Version (NKJV) translations of the Bible. You can read these and other Bible translations free at this link, also available as an app.

YouVersion

Exploring the HEART of Health

Thanks for reading this post and for sharing. If you don’t need this help, likely someone you know does.

This post is not intended to diagnose or treat any mental or emotional disorder. Seek help from a mental health professional if you or your family have concerns about these issues.

I’d love for you to follow this blog. I share information and inspiration to help you turn health challenges into health opportunities.

Add your name to the subscribe box to be notified of new posts by email. Click the link to read the post and browse other content. It’s that simple. No spam.

I enjoy seeing who is new to Watercress Words. When you subscribe, I will visit your blog or website. Thanks and see you next time.

Dr. Aletha

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