Write 4 page essay on the topic Critique and Summary of the Refuge from Abuse by Nancy Nason-Clark and Catherine Clark Kroeger.Download file to see previous pages... The layout highlights key points i

Write 4 page essay on the topic Critique and Summary of the Refuge from Abuse by Nancy Nason-Clark and Catherine Clark Kroeger.

The layout highlights key points in blue boxes, with bold text, for example listing the indicators that show when a relationship is not healthy (p. 8). The metaphor of a journey is used to lay out the steps that an abused woman must take to recognise the state she is in, find the help that she needs, and move on through a process that brings her out of the cycle of abuse and into a healing stage. The chapters each deal with one step at a time, and include advice, examples from real life, with the names changed to protect identities, and a passage for spiritual reflection which draws on Biblical texts and Christian teachings. The structure follows a logical, and fairly standard, line of development that runs from recognizing that there is a problem, speaking out about it, finding spiritual and practical help, accessing healing, getting on with life, understanding what help the abuser needs, and rebuilding trust in God. Although the book is clearly aimed at abused women, there is a useful Appendix (pp. 157-158) that gives advice on where to find help for abused husbands, and there are two further Appendices which provide helpful scripture readings for more general use in the home and in church. At the end of the book there is a comprehensive set of notes, referencing academic literature drawn from the fields of sociology, criminology as well as Christian literature. Critique The first thing in this book that strikes me as a mental health counsellor is the way that spiritual and scientific content is presented side by side. I found it particularly helpful to go through the process of thinking about the scenarios painted in each section, using standard concepts that any secular education facility would use, and then step into a more spiritual dimension by reflecting on the Biblical material afterwards. This allows both kinds of knowledge to be presented separately and clearly, but also lets the reader see how they complement each other. For me this was a very good strategy and I would like to use this strategy myself when reading books on mental health issues. I can imagine, for example, reading a scientific textbook, and then applying religious reasoning to it, to see what additional insights this perspective gives. One particular strength of the book is, as the second part of its title “Healing and Hope for Abused Christian Women” suggests, a very clear focus on Christian women. This makes the book very useful in the context of Christian counselling, but of course limits its application. If a client has a different religious background, or is not interested in a religious perspective, then this book is not going to be very useful. I prefer such a bias to be open and clear, as it is in this book, because it allows the reader to detect from the very outset what the author’s own position is, and what sort of religious arguments are being used. Another thing that I appreciated in this book is that the tone is reasoned and calm, with plenty of scope for readers to make choices rather than just follow a single lead. In chapter 2 for example, the stories of three very different women are told: Claire, Carolyn and Martha. Each case illustrates a particular constellation of circumstances, and a different way of making the issue of abuse known to people and organizations outside the family.