Treating the Tough Adolescent: A Family-Based, Step-By-Step Guide

I have been working with adolescents in conflict with the law for approximately 12 years as well as with their families. This is one of the most comprehensive guides I have ever seen. Power and compassion is the other one near the top by Jerome Price. Every one of the interventions in this book have been used by me with the families I work with. For those criticising the severity of the interventions I would think that the clients you are working with would be higher functioning than the pre-contemplative childhood onset conduct disorder kids mandated by the courts for treatment. Only 10% of my referrals have a parent willing to attend. If the police are supportive in your community, then use them but we all know this is not the norm. The book explains clearly how to restrain without being abusive. BTW almost all of these kids get worse before they get better (extinction burst) so plan for it ahead of time.

Agree overall with Ed Chapin's review. As a parent of a teen with Oppositional Defiant Disorder, who had his toe across the line of Conduct Disorder, I have read many books. This by far the best. It helped me to get control of my son and change our family's path better than the Psychiatrist, Therapist, or Juvenile Probation Department were able to. Only exceptions I take to his approach is in regards to takedowns and time commitment expection of treating therapist. Takedowns potentially very dangerous with the type kids (and parents) the treatment model is geared to. The expectation for a therapist to be available (to the extent described) 24 hours a day 7 days a week is unrealistic. Any therapist that would make the commitment called for by Dr. Sells is a workaholic! Otherwise, the book is very informative, clear and concise. After reading, I had a much stronger grasp of how we got to where we were and the changes necessary. I believe the knowledge gained from the book contributed immensely in sucessfully working with the therapist who helped us.

I am a 3rd year graduate student in clinical psychology, and when I first began seeing clients, I often felt that I didn't quite know what to do with them. This book has been an amazing resource for me and has been the backbone of much of the therapy I do with adolescents and their families. I highly recommend it to anyone who is working with teenaged clients!

As I concerned parent I welcomed this practical guide to improve our family relationship. The author's research shows well tested successful specific actions parents can say and do with their kids. I liked the identification on when to apply the Tough Love and when to increase the Nuturing. More therapists and counselors should apply this approach in their family sessions. I wish churches and schools would teach parenting before kids get into trouble. With Dr Sells research our future will be brighter. Logical and warm. DO read this!

Treating the Tough Adolescent offers a sensible and strategic approach to resolving the family problems of difficult adolescents. This is a valuable book that wedges research-supported ideas into practical guidance for therapists struggling with exasperating adolescents and their families.