Instruction of Students with Severe Disabilities Book

I'm on a Torey Hayden binge. In MURPHY'S BOY, Kevin, a selective-mute teenager is her client. Over several years they work together through his anger and trauma. At times Kevin is violent, so violent Torey fears for his safety. Most everyone has given up on him, but Torey refuses.

MURPHY'S BOY is another dated book. Some of the terminology is antiquated and cringe-worthy. In one case a male therapist is fired because he's "a homosexual" which is still legal in some states in the USA.

Torey frustrates me, at times brilliant with clients, yet often unethical and probably breaks laws. In one case, Kevin has a formulated plan and has built a weapon to kill his stepfather. Hayden not only doesn't document this or alert the other members of the team in order to protect Kevin, she confiscates the homemade knife and brings it back because she promised Kevin she would. As therapists, we have an ethical obligation and duty to inform when someone is homicidal. Kevin not only had a plan, he talked about it week after week. Additionally, he was a resident in a treatment facility that Torey visited to see him a few times a week. Not alerting staff was reckless. Yet, at times she shows so much skill and patience she seems like she is giving him a chance at a decent life.

I truly enjoyed MURPHY'S BOY, but can't rate it higher because of her ethical quagmires.

***ETA Hayden repeatedly refers to Kevin as ugly and unattractive. Even if I thought that about a client, which I likely wouldn't because my brain doesn't usually go there in terms of physical unpleasantness, I would never, ever write it in a book about a REAL PERSON, especially who might or might not read the book. If I think about all the kids I've worked with, some are cuter than others, some stunning or downright adorable. Every one had something worthy of positive mention.