ISBN 1-56821-763-3 Richard Irons and Jennifer P Schneider, The Wounded Healer: Addiction-Sensitive Approach to the Sexually Exploitative Professional. Northvale NJ, Jason Aronson Inc, 1999, 252 pp ($24.50).
The constructs of this insightful research are based on the assessment of 150 practicing professionals in the United States and Canada who were referred for evaluation because of allegations of professional sexual impropriety. The people examined are mainly physicians (75%) and clergy (7%), and the rest are mostly dentists, lawyers, nurses, physical therapists, psychologists, and social workers.
The authors make a compelling case that male "wounding" has multiple causes including, sometimes, significant flaws in personal development. Whatever the cause, however, the consequences are serious: boundary violations, whether great or small, violate human beings and the integrity of professional relationships.
The book is divided into three parts: first, what sexual exploitation is all about, "Toward an understanding of sexual exploitation;" secondly, a grouping of six characterological descriptions according to archetypal patterns, "Categories of sexually exploitative men;" and thirdly, situating the offender in his own family and history, and examining intervention outcomes, "Healing the wounded."
In spite of the title, it is noteworthy that nearly all the clinical subjects were men, a perspective that the relevant chapter headings clarify. Even though the masterful theoretical framework may pertain also to women, the supporting research is male-specific (97%), and there are no references cited in the chapters that would warrant cross-gender assumptions.
From the perspective of the ISTI mission, this well-documented and respectfully-written reference demonstrates that not all vocations to ministry are made in heaven. What can happen among other professionals is true also within clergy. This book is not about the theology of vocations. It's about human factors and what can go wrong.
The authors, who are recognized leaders in the field, offer keen insight that is essential to vocation and formation directors, spiritual advisors, continuing clergy education leaders, and therapists to enlighten the troublesome and darker side of ministry leadership. Clergy and those responsible with them for professional accountability are alerted to focused questions: Who can be attracted to ordained leadership, what do they bring to it, and what can it do to them? What can power do to people who are spiritual guides, and how do some misuse their positions? What are the faces of abuse? How likely are people in leadership positions who misuse their authority to be capable of constructive change and what is needed? This reference is an extraordinary summary of complex behavior in a credible paradigm for understanding and change. RP