OUR FAMILY IS DIVORCING A Read-Aloud Book for Families Experiencing Divorce Helping Children Who Hurt series Patricia Polin Johnson and Donna Reilly Williams Paper, $11.95 64 pages, 6" × 9" ISBN 0-89390-391-4 Quantity:

The Helping Children Who Hurt series was created to assist adults with the difficult and often painful task of helping children understand their feelings about personal tragedies. Counselors, healthcare professionals, bereavement ministers, teachers and parents may use Our Family Is Divorcing to encourage young people to talk about their experience of divorce. The caregiver section offers guidance to adults for helping children through loss, including discussion questions as well as tips for being a caring presence, respecting the child’s boundaries and allowing the child to grieve.

Reviews

“Our Family Is Divorcing helps families realize ‘we are not alone.’ It helps stimulate awareness of feelings that lie beneath the surface ... and gives permission to adults and children to talk about them. The authors do not close the book with a ‘happily ever after’ ending but with one that is realistic and gets at the ambiguity inherent in this process. I particularly appreciate the helpful guidelines for the caregiver.”
— Douglas Anderson, Ph.D., Lutheran Counseling Network, Seattle

“Although written for the children in the midst of a divorce, Our Family is Divorcing will be of real benefit to the parents, grandparents and teachers, too. The authors voice their message frankly, clearly and realistically. I will provide this book to all my divorcing clients with elementary- and middle-school children. It is an important resource for the family in domestic crisis.”
— David Soper, mediator, Seattle

About the Authors

Patricia Polin Johnson holds a degree in journalism and has published articles on family issues. Patricia and her husband have helped more than one thousand couples prepare for marriage through their work for Catholic Engaged Encounter newsletter, of which Patricia was editor. In addition, she has taught religious education to preschool- through primary-school age children.

Donna Reilly Williams specializes in grief and transition therapy in her private practice in Woodinville, Wash. She also serves as a consultant to churches, schools hospitals and businesses, and she designs and directs retreats in the field of ministry and spirituality. With an M.A. in pastoral studies, she has co-authored two companion books, Grief Ministry: Helping Others Mourn and Grief Ministry Facilitator’s Guide.