A Child's View of the World

Volume 1 of a 4-part series entitled Healing Adult Children: The Roots of Violence, this tape features the families-in-dysfunction expertise of John Bradshaw and Art Linkletter, and introduces us to the people whose lives are explored in greater depth in the three remaining volumes: Marcus, whose father was an addict; Gordon and John, who were children of violence; and Linda, a victim of neglect. With the ultimate goal of "learning to recognize and deal with the wounds of childhood," the series encourages viewers to heal through acceptance, grieve for the loss, and take steps toward recovery. This first tape is well done, thoughtful, and straightforward, but I would recommend buying the entire series to get the full benefit of the interviewees' stories and insights; though expensive ($349), it is necessary to more fully explore these complex issues and bring them to some sort of conclusion. Covering a topic of increasing interest, this video-set hits the high points much more succinctly than any of the dozens of books available. Although the word "inspirational" does not immediately spring to mind in this instance, John Bradshaw's theory that "the more we have suffered, the more our hearts expand and have a capacity for loving, compassion, caring, and nurturing" might be just the thing a person needs to hear. Aud: H, C, P. (K. Glaser)