Members in the News
NASW-NYS Member Authors New Book Critiquing Mental Health
Treatment of Children
Elizabeth Root, LCSW-R retired to Trumansburg, NY in 2007 where she settled in to complete her new publication. Kids Caught in the Psychiatric Maelstrom: How Pathological Labels and “Therapeutic” Drugs Hurt Children and Families, is a perspective on America’s mental health treatment of children. The book, published in September 2009, is the product of many years of extensive research and seventeen years of psychotherapy practice with children and families. Root provided direct practice on “the front lines” of the public sector in a career that spanned five counties of upstate New York.
She observed that many of the children who frequented her office got
worse after psychiatric drugs became part of their regimen. When more
and more of them were labeled “bipolar,” she became very concerned
over the serious side effects of the powerful medications prescribed for
this condition. That’s when she went to work on her research to prepare a
manuscript. Ultimately, Root challenges the traditional medical treatment
model applied in most clinics. She questions the assumption that children
are “mentally ill,” or “brain diseased.” Doubting this, she thoroughly
examines the history behind the “brain disease” theory and the research that alleges to support it. Then Root proceeds to the good news of kinder, gentler, and more effective methods of helping troubled children. She also introduces alternative explanations for childhood distress from professionals and researchers beyond the field of mental health.
Eminent endorsers of Root’s book acclaim it as “an encyclopedic, up-to-date critique of the American approach to children’s mental health and illness,” “a tremendous resource,” “a great resource in a wonderful and enlightening style,” and “very readable book that can help re-empower you as a parent to meet your child’s needs.”
Pictured is Root with Leo, one of the therapy dogs who assisted her in the workplace. Her dogs are ambassadors in the field of animal therapy. Root promotes the therapeutic value of the animal/human bond. This is one of many alternatives to the use of psychotropic drugs that comprise a chapter of her book.
Root (with Leo) has speaking engagements scheduled at the Tompkins County Public Library in Ithaca, NY on January 20, 2010 at 6pm and at the Ulysses Philomathic Library in Trumansburg on March 14, 2010 at 2pm. Copies of her book will be available at the presentations. It is also available at the aforementioned libraries. Kids Caught in the Psychiatric Maelstrom can be purchased online at Amazon books or through the Praeger Publishers Website. Elizabeth has copies she will sell at a discount to colleagues and can be contacted at: loveapoodle@yahoo.com