The Strong, Sensitive Boy [Paperback]

Ted Zeff (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 3, 2010

Does your son tend to be disturbed by loud noises, violence, and crowds, fearful of new situations, easily hurt by criticism, or hesitant about playing aggressive games?

Your son may be one of the 20 percent of all boys with a finely tuned nervous system. Our sensitive boys tend to be creative, kind, and gentle, appreciating beauty and feeling love deeply. Therefore, it's particularly challenging for sensitive boys to grow up in a culture where boys are taught to act tough, aggressive, and unemotional.

In this groundbreaking book, psychologist Ted Zeff explores the unique challenges of sensitive boys, showing parents, educators, and mentors how to help sensitive boys grow into strong, happy, and confident men. Dr. Zeff offers practical advice on how to help your son increase his self-esteem and thrive in the family, at school, with friends, and in sports.

From the Publisher:

This book is also important for sensitive men to read to help them heal their childhood wounds, learn how to navigate through our aggressive, overstimulating world, and accept themselves as sensitive men. This book is helpful for sensitive women since how society treats sensitive men deeply affects highly sensitive women--and all women close to sensitive males.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Every parent of a sensitive boy should read this book."

-Elaine N. Aron, Ph.D. author of The Highly Sensitive Person and The Highly Sensitive Child

"The Strong, Sensitive Boy offers practical advice and innovative solutions for parents, teachers, and anyone working with sensitive boys.  I highly recommend it."

-Michael Gurian, author of The Wonder of Boys & The Minds of Boys 

"An insightful, important look at the role sensitivity has in true masculine power. A wonderful guide for parents, sons, and educators!"

-Judith Orloff, M.D. author of Second Sight

Product Details

• Paperback: 200 pages
• Publisher: Prana Publishing (May 3, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0966074521
• ISBN-13: 978-0966074529
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 0.4 x 5.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #51,610 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Dr. Ted Zeff received his Ph.D. in Psychology in 1981 from the California Institute of Integral Studies in San Francisco and has completed post-graduate studies in nutrition, ayurveda and meditation. Dr. Zeff has taught classes in stress reduction and healing insomnia for Hill Physicians Medical Group and also has a private practice counseling sensitive people and parents of sensitive children in the Bay Area and via telephone throughout the world.

At Ted Zeff's popular website, wwwdrtedzeff.com people obtain information about the trait of high sensitivity and learn coping strategies for themselves and their children. People can also sign up for a phone consultation or download "The Highly Sensitive Person's Healing Program."

Ted Zeff is the author of seven books:

The Highly Sensitive Person's Survival Guide

The Highly Sensitive Person's Companion

The Strong, Sensitive Boy

Raise an Emotionally Healthy Boy

The Psychological and Physiological Effects of Meditation and the Physical Isolation Tank on Type A Behavior

Searching for God Part I

Searching for God Part II

Dr. Zeff has given numerous interviews about Highly Sensitive People, including on National Public Radio and such television shows such as Good Morning Bay Area. He has lectured internationally about Highly Sensitive People in such countries as Denmark and Holland and has been a featured speaker at the Highly Sensitive Person's annual gatherings in the United States. Ted Zeff's books have been translated into French, Dutch, Japanese, Danish and Polish.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

35 of 37 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Relieving, self-healing read March 1, 2012

By andy92

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

Let me start by saying that I, myself, am a 19 year old boy who knew there was "something wrong" with me for as long as I can remember. I have always been artistically inclined and deeply moved by emotions I always kept hidden. My parents weren't the most supportive and I really didn't "bond" with neither one of them. I decided to move out of the toxic environment that is my house and through some self-realization and self-healing I decided to order the book "The Strong, Sensitive Boy." I actually found it while browsing for other books and it caught my attention. Since I knew that I have always been a sensitive boy, I figured why not? This book has changed my life. I think this is perhaps the only book that truly helped me find myself. After reading it, I realized that I have been lying to myself all these years pretending to be something I am not. Now, as a 19 year old college student, after so many years, I have finally found myself. This book is a great healing book for those sensitive boys whose wounds were invisible to everyone else. I have never had a problem discussing my emotions with true friends who care about me and this is why I am not ashamed to recommend this book for any guy who grew up putting up a persona that the world would approve of instead of the who they truly are.

If you are a parent: Please don't belittle your sensitive son or daughter, for that matter. Take it from someone who suffered emotional and physical abuse from his parents, the wounds are real and will haunt him a lifetime. It is your job as a parent to protect him in a world in which he will most likely find himself alone. And if you are a dad, well...the only thing I can say is that you should love your son for who he is, not who you want him to be. Remember he didn't come into this earth, he came out of it. The human condition has many faces and forms (attending college and accepting myself has really helped me enlighten myself). He will need a permanent, strong male role model. After two decades, I have yet to feel any love from my dad other than the one he pulls out of his wallet and although, I resent him for a lot of things, this book has helped me accept that his skewed view of what it is to be a man is paradoxically ironic for a true man is not the cold, quiet, strong figure that our culture portrays it to be but rather, one who stands up for what he believes is right.

21 of 22 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars wonderful book and resource! May 23, 2010

By momofHSC

Format:Paperback

I just finished reading "The Strong, Sensitive Boy" and feel like I have blueprint how to raise my son. I live in the U.S. and was struck how Dr. Zeff's research indicated that it was so much easier for sensitive boys who grew up in other cultures. However, I now know how to make sure my son doesn't suffer. I'm going to follow the suggestions about making sure my son feels comfortable in school and not shamed by teachers or bullies, and if public school doesn't work I will look for alternative schools or home school him myself. I learned that it's important for my son to learn how to interact with non-highly sensitive children, but in a way that works for him. There's so much valuable information for both my husband and me how to raise my son's self-esteem from from encouraging him in the sports that he is drawn to, to helping him accept his physical and emotional attributes to encouraging his spiritual side . The stories from the sensitive men thatDr. Zeff interviewed were amazing and really helped me understand what my son needs. I highly recommend this book for parents and I think the book would also help sensitive men heal their childhoods.

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars This book contains invaluable advice for raising boys July 13, 2011

By Vaughn Paul Manley

Format:Paperback

I am the dad of a sensitive boy and am so glad that I read Dr. Zeff's book. Although my son is only four years old I can see referring to this book during each stage of his life. I was raised in a typical aggressive boy culture where any boy who showed emotions was humiliated and I don't want my son to go through the emotional pain that I experienced. I particularly liked the chapter about dads raising sensitive boys and the need for men to question their own beliefs about what it means to be a man and look for new definitions of masculinity. Dr. Zeff has many pertinent suggestions of how to encourage and praise your son's sensitivity as well as how to help him make friends with other children who will respect his sensitivity. I strongly recommend reading this wonderful resource for raising your son.