Validation is the recognition and acceptance that a person's feelings and thoughts are true and real for him or her, regardless of whether or not those feelings make logical sense. This seemingly simple concept can determine whether a child has self-esteem or not, whether a child will grow to become an independent adult or a dependent one, and whether a child will be able to process feelings in a healthy way or express his or her emotions by throwing tantrums and acting out. Children who are validated feel reassured that they will be accepted and loved regardless of their feelings, while children who are validated less frequently become more susceptible to peer pressure and are more likely to develop behavioral problems.

The Power of Validation breaks validation skills into practical steps parents can use to respond to their child's internal experiences in healthy ways without necessarily condoning their child's behaviors. Readers learn to pay attention to their child, acknowledge the child's thoughts and feelings, and help their child through the process of developing an identity of his or her own. By validating difficult emotions, but disallowing negative actions children may take in response to these emotions, parents can help their kids develop essential self-validating skills for the future that will foster self-esteem and emotional intelligence in adulthood.

By recognizing and accepting their child's feelings, parents can improve their child's emotional resilience. The Power of Validation is the first book to explain this critical process and offer parents skills they can use to validate and empower children in order to reduce behavioral problems, instill confidence, and increase children's ability to regulate their own emotions.

About the Author

Karyn D. Hall, PhD, is a licensed clinical psychologist who has been in practice for over thirty years. Originally trained as a child psychologist, she now specializes in dialectical behavior therapy and is the director of the Dialectical Behavior Therapy Center in Houston, TX.

Melissa H. Cook, LPC, is a dialectical behavior therapist in Houston, TX, specializing in eating disorders and borderline personality disorder.

Book Information
ISBN 9781608820337
Author Karyn D. Hall
Format Paperback
Page Count 200
Imprint New Harbinger Publications
Publisher New Harbinger Publications
Weight(grams) 240g
Dimensions(mm) 226mm * 150mm * 16mm