Beyond Betrayal: Taking Charge of Your Life After Boyhood Sexual Abuse [Hardcover]

Richard B. Gartner (Author), William Pollack (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 2005

With compassion and clarity, Richard Gartner shares insights from years of working with male survivors. Among this book's greatest strengths is the extensive use of examples from Dr. Gartner's clinical practice to illustrate problems and solutions on the path to healing. Beyond Betrayal offers support, encouragement, and useful skills to men in recovery.
--Mike Lew, M.Ed., author of Victims No Longer and Leaping upon the Mountains

"If you have been sexually abused, this book will give you information, hope, direction, and most importantly, the assurance that you are not alone. Dr. Gartner has written an accessible, compassionate book that clearly lays out the healing process for men who were hurt or abused as children. Whether you were abused by a mother, a camp counselor, a neighborhood boy, or a priest, Beyond Betrayal will give you the tools you need to reclaim your life and move on. If you're going to take one book with you on the healing journey, this should be the one."
--Laura Davis, coauthor of The Courage to Heal and author of The Courage to Heal Workbook

"Compassionate, insightful, and hopeful, Beyond Betrayal shines a bright light. It is a must-read for anyone concerned."
--Kenneth M. Adams, Ph.D., author of Silently Seduced

"Beyond Betrayal cuts through the shame, confusion, misunderstanding, and fear that so often accompany the abuse of males and replaces them with clear information. I will begin to use it immediately with my patients and think that other clinicians will do so as well."
--Christine A. Courtois, Ph.D., author of Healing the Incest Wound and Recollections of Sexual Abuse

"Beyond Betrayal offers men straightforward words of hope and a meaningful way to overcome the invisibility, stigma, and shame they have endured. Many men and their families will find this book a healing aid."
--Jack Drescher, M.D., author of Psychoanalytic Therapy and the Gay Man

"Dr. Gartner writes in a manner any reader will find accessible. Not only does he understand the topic of males, sexual abuse, and recovery, but he can explain it to those who need to know."
--Dr. Mic Hunter, author of Abused Boys and editor of Adult Survivors of Sexual Abuse: Treatment Innovations

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

"I do not believe it is an exaggeration to state that Dr. Gartner's work led to the saving of countless emotional lives. . . . [This is] one of the finest self-help books for male victims of sexual abuse. . . . I only wish Beyond Betrayal were published years ago. I am very happy it comes to us now. It is a must-read for all victims of sexual abuse as boys and for their loved ones. It is necessary, practical, well written—and yes, a life-saving book."
—From the Foreword by William Pollack, Ph.D., author of the New York Times bestselling Real Boys

By the age of sixteen, up to one in six boys has unwanted direct sexual contact with an older person. This is rarely talked about, and when it is, shame and embarrassment often stop us from speaking up openly and frankly. Now, this major new book by Dr. Richard Gartner, a pioneering therapist in the field, explores in depth the once-taboo subject of male sexual victimization.

Providing empowering action steps and written specifically for survivors of male sexual abuse as well as their spouses, partners, and loved ones, Beyond Betrayal is based on Richard Gartner's decades of experience as a psychologist, psychoanalyst, and advocate for sexually abused men. Covering both male and female abuse of boys and young men, Dr. Gartner explores the different types of abuse, from sexual abuse with and without touch to covert abuse to trauma, revealing the profound impact of sexual betrayal by such caretakers as clergy, family, teachers, babysitters, and health professionals. Gartner explains how as a child one trusts out of necessity—and how the betrayal of that trust ravages one's self-concept as a man while also wreaking havoc on one's relationships.

In this powerful book, Dr. Gartner allows his patients to speak for themselves. The men's heartrending stories convey the full range of long-term devastations of boyhood sexual abuse: the despair, the secrecy, and the isolation; the worry about manhood and sexual orientation; and the difficulties of developing intimate relationships. In sharing their stories, these courageous men demonstrate what bravely deciding to face your inner demons can bring you: trust, resolution, and connection.

In reading this book, you'll discover how to safely experience emotions again and relate to others with confidence and security. Dr. Gartner also helps you shed the long-held conviction that you can either be a man or a victim but not both, and he teaches you how to determine who you really are and develop new, more flexible concepts of masculinity. Beyond Betrayal shows you that you can take charge of your recovery while living your life to its fullest potential.

From the Back Cover

"With compassion and clarity, Richard Gartner shares insights from years of working with male survivors. Among this book's greatest strengths is the extensive use of examples from Dr. Gartner's clinical practice to illustrate problems and solutions on the path to healing. Beyond Betrayal offers support, encouragement, and useful skills to men in recovery."
—Mike Lew, M.Ed., author of Victims No Longer and Leaping upon the Mountains

"If you have been sexually abused, this book will give you information, hope, direction, and most importantly, the assurance that you are not alone. Dr. Gartner has written an accessible, compassionate book that clearly lays out the healing process for men who were hurt or abused as children. Whether you were abused by a mother, a camp counselor, a neighborhood boy, or a priest, Beyond Betrayal will give you the tools you need to reclaim your life and move on. If you're going to take one book with you on the healing journey, this should be the one."
—Laura Davis, coauthor of The Courage to Heal and author of The Courage to Heal Workbook

"Compassionate, insightful, and hopeful, Beyond Betrayal shines a bright light. It is a must-read for anyone concerned."
—Kenneth M. Adams, Ph.D., author of Silently Seduced

"Beyond Betrayal cuts through the shame, confusion, misunderstanding, and fear that so often accompany the abuse of males and replaces them with clear information. I will begin to use it immediately with my patients and think that other clinicians will do so as well."
—Christine A. Courtois, Ph.D., author of Healing the Incest Wound and Recollections of Sexual Abuse

"Beyond Betrayal offers men straightforward words of hope and a meaningful way to overcome the invisibility, stigma, and shame they have endured. Many men and their families will find this book a healing aid."
—Jack Drescher, M.D., author of Psychoanalytic Therapy and the Gay Man

"Dr. Gartner writes in a manner any reader will find accessible. Not only does he understand the topic of males, sexual abuse, and recovery, but he can explain it to those who need to know."
—Dr. Mic Hunter, author of Abused Boys and editor of Adult Survivors of Sexual Abuse: Treatment Innovations

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 1st edition (April 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0471619108
• ISBN-13: 978-0471619109
• Product Dimensions: 0.9 x 6.3 x 9.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #284,056 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Dr. Richard B. Gartner (www.richardgartner.com) is a psychologist and psychoanalyst who specializes in treating men with histories of sexual abuse. A lifelong resident of New York City, he mainly practices in Manhattan and lives in Brooklyn.

Dr. Gartner is a Training and Supervising Analyst and is on the teaching faculty of the William Alanson White Psychoanalytic Institute in New York City. Founding Director of the White Institute's Sexual Abuse Program, for six years he was Director of its Center for the Study of Psychological Trauma. The White Institute honored Dr. Gartner with its 2004 Director's Award for his contributions to the psychoanalytic understanding of trauma.

A consultant and supervisor at the Trauma Treatment Center of the Manhattan Institute for Psychoanalysis, Dr. Gartner also taught and supervised in the clinical psychology program at Columbia University for twenty years. He attended the Bronx High School of Science and received a B.A. in psychology from Haverford and a doctorate in clinical psychology from Columbia. He is licensed as a psychologist in New York State.

Dr. Gartner served on the Board of Directors of MaleSurvivor: the National Organization against Male Sexual Victimization (malesurvivor.org) for seven years and was its President from 2002 to 2004. He was Program Chair of MaleSurvivor's 2001 conference, "Healing Sexual Victimization of Boys and Men" and served on the Program Committee for its 2007 conference, "Relief, Recovery, and Restoration: Helping Men Heal from Sexual Abuse." Both conferences were held in New York City at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice, the conference co-sponsor. Currently, Dr. Gartner is MaleSurvivor's media spokesman.

Dr. Gartner was honored by MaleSurvivor at its 2007 conference by the establishment of the Richard Gartner Award for Clinical Contribution, of which he was the first recipient "in recognition of outstanding clinical service to male survivors, their families and loved ones, of contributions to the advancement of knowledge about psychotherapy for such persons, and in gratitude for enriching the understanding of male sexual abuse through multiple publications and media contacts."

Dr. Gartner is a member of the American Psychological Association (Divisions of Psychoanalysis, Men and Masculinity, and Trauma); the New York State Psychological Association (Division of Psychoanalysis); the William Alanson White Psychoanalytic Society; the National Register of Health Service Providers in Psychology; the Leadership Council on Child Abuse and Interpersonal Violence; PEN American Center; and MaleSurvivor: the National Organization against Male Sexual Victimization. He serves on the editorial boards of Contemporary Psychoanalysis, the Journal of Trauma and Dissociation, and the American Journal of Psychoanalysis. He is a licensed psychologist in New York State.

Dr. Gartner's books include Beyond Betrayal: Taking Charge of Your Life After Boyhood Sexual Abuse; Betrayed as Boys: Psychodynamic Treatment of Sexually Abused Men; and Memories of Sexual Betrayal: Truth, Fantasy, Repression and Dissociation. Betrayed as Boys was runner up for the 2001 Gradiva Award of the National Association for the Advancement of Psychoanalysis for best book on a clinical subject.

In addition, he has authored numerous articles and chapters including Considerations in the psychoanalytic treatment of men who were sexually abused as children; Relational aftereffects in manhood of boyhood sexual abuse; Sexual victimization of boys by men: Meanings and consequences; An analytic group for sexually abused men; Incestuous Boundary violations in families of borderline patients; and Predatory priests: Sexually abusing Fathers.

Dr. Gartner has spoken and lectured widely about the sexual abuse of boys and its consequences for men in such diverse locations as the American Psychological and Psychiatric Associations; the Harvard University Medical School; the Sandor Ferenczi Society in Budapest; the Federal Bureau of Investigation; and numerous universities, rape intervention programs, and hospitals. Interviews with him have appeared in such media print outlets as the New York Times, Associated Press, Los Angeles Times, Washington Post, USA Today, The Nation, and New York Newsday. In addition, he has been featured on CNN, CBS, Fox News, NBC News Channel, MSNBC, and ABC.com, among others, and on radio stations in the United States, Canada, Australia, and South Africa.

Dr. Gartner was also interviewed in the 2004 Emmy-nominated WABC-TV documentary "Protect Our Children: Teenage Boys and the Wall of Silence" and in 2005 was the subject of a full-length interview in the Science Times section of the New York Times (http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B01EFD7153DF932A35750C0A9639C8B63).

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

57 of 57 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars TEN STARS OUT OF FIVE October 7, 2005

By L E WILLIS

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

I would rate this book 10 stars out of 5 - that's how great it is. It is different from a lot of books on the subject. The author writes with extreme clarity and leads the reader through some different subjects than other books do. It is positive with good constructive advice in all areas where male victims are confused, afraid, and angry over. He is very understanding towards the male way of thinking and doing, but is not overly sympathetic either. His caring shines through. He is understanding and approaches the subject matter of fact. This is a must read for men who are brave enough to face the truth and who want to heal. The over all theme is healing in this book. He doesn't give step by step instructions or magic ways to make it happen. He's honest when he says it will take a lot of hard work. The scars don't go away, but we do learn the skills to deal with it and live a "normal" life. I can keep writing about this great book. It has helped me greatly and has give me new hope and to pull out strength. It has given me a more defined direction in my therapy. I love this book and was very disappointed when I found I had finished it. I hope this author writes more on this subject. It is needed. I hope this review helped someone out there. Good Luck!

39 of 39 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars What do YOU do now? October 27, 2006

By A Survivor

Format:Hardcover

In the early months of therapy my therapist suggested this book. She had listened to me when I said that the other books seemed to be about victims, but not 'of' victims; she said this book was geared more from the victims' perspective. Reading it was one of the defining moments in my healing; this was a turning point. I read about people just like me; I read about how they felt and how they expressed it to Dr Gartner; I read about them not wanting to say the truth because they feared reprisal or ridicule; I read about things I thought only I felt, suffered, endured and held inside. I read reality and it hit home, it hit home hard and true and I let go of something. I let go of the illusion that I was the only one in the whole world that felt like that. I let go - so simple yet so profound, and in letting go I opened a small window to let my therapist see into my world. If you doubt anyone ever enduring the same as you, read this book. Skim it if you will; jump about through the paragraphs; read one page a day if it hurts but, please, read it. Read the real people. Know, in you heart, that you are truly not alone. You have to do that for 'you' now.

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book March 13, 2006

By Andrew M. White

Format:Hardcover

It is the best book I read on boyhood sexual abuse. It is a life saver!!! It is very constructive in rebuilding one's life after the abuse. A must read...