Helping Her Get Free: A Guide for Families and Friends of Abused Women [Paperback]

MSSW Susan Brewster (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 2, 2006

Seal Press originally published Helping Her Get Free with the title To Be an Anchor in the Storm. The survivor of an abusive relationship herself and a licensed counselor of abused women for more than a decade, Susan Brewster teaches readers how to recognize the signs of abuse, handle negative feelings, become an effective advocate, deal with the abuser, and more. With a new introduction and updated resource section, this straightforward and compassionate book offers the information needed to help give strength to women who are trying to break free.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Susan Brewster has been a clinical social worker/psychotherapist for 26 years, ten of which have been devoted to working specifically in the area of domestic violence. She lives with her husband and two children in New Mexico, where she is in private practice

Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Seal Press (January 2, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1580051677
• ISBN-13: 978-1580051675
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #159,487 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #47 in Books > Health, Fitness & Dieting > Mental Health > Abuse & Self Defense > Domestic Violence

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A very important read if you know a victim of spousal abuse, February 10, 2007

By 

David Connell (Toronto) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Helping Her Get Free: A Guide for Families and Friends of Abused Women (Paperback)

If you know somebody who is a victim of spousal abuse, I highly recommend this book. It was immeasurably helpful in my experience.

Many of the reviews I have read for other examples of this type of book have been from social workers or instructors of some kind. I'm just a regular person. One day someone very close to me opened up about the spousal abuse she had endured for many years. I was the first person she had ever told. A year passed and I thought I was helping her, but her situation and her outlook, her actions and her excuses would barely change, or go completely backwards.

After finding this book by chance, reading it changed everything. I gained an understanding of how many of the predictable things I had done to "help" her would never help. Reading this book improved my understanding of her situation and my understanding of my own reactions. I took the author's advice and changed my behaviour accordingly. Every situation is going to be different, but within a couple months my friend was making dramatic advances.

She completely hid her situation for over a decade, but now she is getting professional help. She gives me a great deal of credit for helping her get herself out of the cycle she was in, but I credit this book. Reading this book was absolutely vital in my knowing how to act and react, and to really help her help herself. I would like to thank the author very much.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must read for people who have friends in abusive relationships, February 3, 2010

By 

BaB (Seattle, WA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Helping Her Get Free: A Guide for Families and Friends of Abused Women (Paperback)

Great book, of things most of us would not think of, when dealing with a friend or family member who is in an abusive relationship. Really give you helpful ideas and techiques.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Helping Her Get Free, October 10, 2010

By 

Deej Funk - See all my reviews

This review is from: Helping Her Get Free: A Guide for Families and Friends of Abused Women (Paperback)

"Helping Her to Get Free" (formerly "To Be an Anchor in the Storm") by Susan Brewster, is an excellent, no-nonsense, book to help the family and friends of women who are in being abused by a spouse or boyfriend. The book identifies the many ways that abuse occurs, how to recognize the conditions, and describes the background behind abusive relationships. Mrs. Brewster provides ways that friends and family members can aid the woman by being "anchors" in that woman's life.