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Recent Reviews! - The Birth of Hope
by Rhodes, Jeane - Welcoming Consciousness: Supporting Babies' Wholeness From the Beginning of Life
by McCarty, Wendy Anne - The Emotional World of the Fetus.
by Kelkar, Gajanan S. - Honoring Your Child's Spirit: Pre-Birth Bonding and Communication.
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by Pert, Candace B. - The Rape of Innocence: One Woman?s Story of Female Genital Mutilation in the U.S.A. by Robinett, Patricia
The Birth of Hope
Rhodes, Jeane (2009)
wwww.createspace.com/3398907Brief Review by David B. Chamberlain, Ph.D
I love this extraordinary novel that clearly rises beyond mere fiction to brilliantly illuminate core human vulnerabilities that badly need decoding. Yet I must admit, for me the novel was so full of charm and suspense that I couldn’t put it down. I was driven to find out how it would end.
The novel teaches us volumes about a whole class of early traumas that are actually common (if not epidemic) and while the source remains mysterious the puzzle waits for solution in the mind of the baby. The issues confronted in this clinical tale cut deep and bite hard. The damage tends to go on until the truth is known and healed. The novelist lets us see it all unfold step by step.
The littlest star is a baby named Hope, the parents are teens living in separate foster homes, and in the wings are the grandparents on both sides holding the critical secrets. True- to-life team of therapists. Recommended reading for all students of prenatal and perinatal psychology.
David B. Chamberlain, PhD, Author of The Mind of Your Newborn Baby now in 14 languages
The Birth of Hope
Review by Carol Hoyer, PhD
I can honestly say this is one of the most intriguing, educational books I have read in quite a while. Jeane Rhodes has written "The Birth of Hope" with passion and intent to educate readers about teen pregnancy and the foster care system. Her experience in the field has led her to give readers many resources regarding one's birth, family history, and therapy.
Readers will follow Tasha and Justin, two teens who find they are going to be parents - through the initial shock of the news and the foster care system which actually worked with the help of supportive foster parents and case managers. Tasha and her sisters have been in many placements during their young lives and often don't have any good memories of their mother. Justin has been placed with a family that treats him as their own. His foster parents are very supportive of the couple and their wishes, yet still can provide loving guidance as they move through the pregnancy.
In each chapter readers get recommendations of books or websites that will add more valuable information. Different therapy techniques were described in detail, which I really appreciated, as well as exercises to connect with the baby. I found that her thoughts on communication with the teens and families and therapists very important. Readers will clearly see through the author's words that she is very dedicated to her profession as well as those she works with. Her extensive knowledge in this field reveals that even in a not so great system, with work and dedication good things can happen.
Readers will not be able to put this book down. It is one that is full of compassion, love and caring. It opens eyes to the foster care system. I would love to see a follow-up to the story of Tasha and Justin. "The Birth of Hope" by Jeane Rhodes, PhD, is a book I will certainly recommend to my Psychology students.