Copyright holder: Tyndale University, 3377 Bayview Ave., Toronto, Ontario, Canada M2M 3S4 Att.: Library Director, J. William Horsey Library Copyright: This Work has been made available by the authority of the copyright owner solely for the purpose of private study and research and may not be copied or reproduced except as permitted by the copyright laws of Canada without the written authority from the copyright owner. Copyright license: Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License Citation: Bramer, Paul. Review of Helping the Struggling Adolescent, by Les Parrott. The Covenant Companion 86 (March 1997): 22. ***** Begin Content ****** TYNDALE UNIVERSITY 3377 Bayview Avenue Toronto, ON M2M 3S4 TEL: 416.226.6620 www.tyndale.ca Note: This Work has been made available by the authority of the copyright owner solely for the purpose of private study and research and may not be copied or reproduced except as permitted by the copyright laws of Canada without the written authority from the copyright owner. Bramer, Paul. Review of Helping the Struggling Adolescent, by Les Parrott. The Covenant Companion 86 (March 1997): 22. [Citation Page ] THE COVENANT Companion two parts Vol. LXXXVI No. 3 SPECIAL FEATURES 6 ‘God, Are You There?’ Wali Mueller 8 A Challenge to Youth Tony Campolo 9 Covenant Youth Tell the Truth Survey responses from 1635 Covenant teenagers 17 Learning to Listen David Hicks 18 Five Reasons Why a Youth Pastor’s Job May Be the Hardest of All Bill Fish 20 Singing Words We Would Never Speak Dale Hanson Bourke 21 Hear My Prayer, O God Quentin Larson 24 Loving Kids into the Kingdom Mike Yaconelli 26 Yesterday’s Seed Is Tomorrow’s Harvest Glenn Palmberg 30 A Fire That Burned in Our Hearts Jim Lundeen REGULAR FEATURES 4 Our Readers Write 5 Markings 22 Reviews, Paul Bramer, John E. Phelan Jr., Robert K. Johnston, Catherine Barsotti 32 Life in the Covenant 36 Church in the World 39 Krista Brumberg Stevens Acting Editor John E. Phelan Jr. Managing Editor Jane K. Swanson-Nystrom Assistant Editor Christine M. Anderson Art Director David R. Westerfield Production Assistant Sandra C. Escontrias Advertising Manager Steven R. Luce Editorial Assistant Michael J. Boring Cover: We asked Covenant teens what they thought about family, school, the future, the world: 1635 responded. Their answers begin on page 9. Photos & Illustrations: cover SL, DW, and Skjold Photographs; 7 Richard West; 21, 28-29 RNS; 24 Marilyn Nolt; 27 Jennette Ferguson The Covenant Companion (ISSN 0011-0671) is published monthly at 5101 N, Francisco Ave., Chicago, IL 60625, with business andsubscription offices at 3200 W. Foster Ave., Chicago, IL 60625. Periodical postage paid at Chicago, Illinois, and at additional offices. Subscription rates; $29.95 per year on an individual basis and $18 through the Every Family Plan, with additional $12 per year to foreign destination. Single copies available at $2.50 each postpaid. Member of rhe Associated Church Press and Evangelical Press Association. Subscriber to Religion News Service, Evangelical Press News Service, and News Network international. Copyright ©Covenant Publications,1997. Media kit on request, tel. (773) 784-3000. Views expressed by individual writers are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the Department of Publications or the Evangelical Covenant Church. Printed in the USA. [Cover Page ] BOOK REVIEWS Helping the Struggling Adolescent: A Guide for Parents, Counselors, and Youth Workers Les Parrott III Zondervan, 1993 272 pages, $12.99 Helping the Struggling Adolescent: A Counselling Guide Les Parrot III Zondervan, 1993 144 pages, $12.99 Helping the Struggling Adolescent: A Guide to Thirty Common Problems is not a pop psychology or easy-fix book, but an informed, straightforward overview of various problems with which many youth struggle. The author’s Christian convictions permeate the book, but he makes use of the best of the findings in the fields related to each issue. Although for the most part the book is a good ref- erence tool, people working with youth should read it straight through to be- come familiar with all of these issues. The book opens with four chapters of sound principles and general insights for those who minister to adolescents. These are grounded in developmental theory and emphasize that counselors and parents must recognize their limita- tions and that young people must take personal responsibility. The main portion of the book is a discussion of thirty problems—-primarily psychological—experienced by many young people. There is no indication of the criteria for including these particu- lar thirty problems—they are certainly not exhaustive—-but they are at least a good cross-section. The issues range from anger, anxiety, grief, shyness, sleep dis- turbance, and spiritual doubt to abuse, drugs and alcohol, eating disorders, and schizophrenia. The chapters on each is- sue discuss what the specific struggle looks like, why it may have developed, how a counselor can help, when the ado- lescent should be referred to a(nother) professional, and where to find additional information. While the introduction of the Thirty Common Problems is especially tailored to parents, the companion book, A Counseling Guide, has three chapters written for the professional youth worker and counselor, including one on legal and ethical issues in counseling adoles- cents. This is followed by forty pencil- and-paper tests ranging from five to fifty items and including scoring procedures, sources of the tests, and cross-references to the thirty problem areas. The judi- cious use of such tests could significantly help a youth worker discern the nature and severity of the struggle. These books will not make you a fully trained counselor capable of addressing all youth problems, but they will help you better relate to, assess, counsel, or refer the teens who look to you for help, Les Parrott, an ordained minister, psy- chotherapist, psychologist, and profes- sor, has rendered a valuable service to all those who work with youth as they grow through their various pains and struggles. Parents, pastors, teachers, counselors, those who work with youth, and those who train youth workers will be well served by having these books to read and consult. Paul Bramer Paul Bramer is assistant professor of Christian education at North Park Theological Seminary. [ Page ] 22 ***** This is the end of the e-text. This e-text was brought to you by Tyndale University, J. William Horsey Library - Tyndale Digital Collections *****