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Doctor Robinson is a published author and enjoys spending time writing and sharing her knowledge
with
others. She is currently busy with her fourth book, focussed on parenting plans to assist legal
and mental
health professionals working with divorced families.
DIVORCE: WHAT ABOUT THE CHILDREN?
Published by Random House Struik 2009
ISBN 978-1-77007-768-3
 To have a ‘good’ divorce is the exception rather than the rule, as most people end their marriages while harbouring some level of anger, to a greater or lesser extent. Usually, the couple cannot see eye to eye on how to make the relationship work again, and one or the other partner feels resentment towards their ex-spouse. In most case, unfortunately, although people remove themselves from the partnership, the problem remains and, whatever the particular issue may be, it will potentially be projected onto someone else and be transferred to the new, blended family. Therefore, although divorce takes place between two people, it affects the whole family and other systems. There is no easy solution because, even after a divorce, problems that existed in the marriage will remain in the family. Often it is precisely this that affects the children, because these unresolved issues between the parents are projected onto the children in bitterness, anger and resentment, and the children are placed right in the middle.
WHEN SEX TURNS SOUR
Published by Reach Publishers 2005
ISBN 1920084061
In South Africa women constitute almost 52 percent of the population. Along with the increase in the percentage of young people who are sexually active, there is an increase in the number of youth pregnancies. Sexual dysfunction is also seen more often among young women in today’s society. This is often caused by stress related issues. Furthermore, young people’s tendency not to use contraceptives contributes to the epidemic proportions this social problem is assuming. The World Health Organisation (WHO) found that in African countries, young people between the ages of 15 and 24 years make up 60% of all new HIV infections, while HIV infection in young women outnumber the infection in young men by two to one. Sexual practices can lead to sexual problems, as seen clearly in the above statistics.
THE COUPLE IN AN UNCONSUMMATED MARRIAGE
Published by VDM Verlag 2010
ISBN 978-3-639-21896-1
 It is generally accepted that the inability to consummate a marriage causes couples great distress, and can finally lead to divorce. While medical and therapeutic intervention is available, many people still suffer in silence and feel embarrassed about their condition. The purpose of this book is to gain a better understanding of the emotional and psycho-social experiences and perceptions of the couple in an unconsummated marriage. In order to achieve this goal, the objectives is to explore the experiences of the couple in an unconsummated marriage in order to obtain the couple’s perception of their marriage; to present a literature overview on the subject of marriage within the context of the family life cycle; to describe the nature and causes of an unconsummated marriage; to critically describe approaches and models that may be used for the assessment of an unconsummated marriage; and to reflect on the implications of the emotional and psycho-social experiences and perceptions of the couple in an unconsummated marriage within a postmodern systemic framework.
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 Divorce Related Matters
Sexual Abuse Matters
Specialised Assessments of Children
Psycho-Therapy
DID YOU KNOW? 
According to the DSM-IV-TR, the essential feature of PTSD is the development of characteristic symptoms following exposure to an extreme traumatic stressor involving direct personal experience of an event that involves actual or threatened death or resinous injury, or other threat to one’s physical integrity; or witnessing an event that involves death, injury, or threat to the physical integrity of another person; or learning about unexpected or violent death, serious harm or threat of death or injury experienced by a family member or other close associate [American Psychiatric Association (APA), 2000, p463]. In addition, a person’s response to the trauma must involve some intense fear, helplessness, horror, or in youths, disorganized or agitated behaviour (APA, 2000, p. 463). Other PTSD- related symptoms that may occur in those who have been sexually abused include self-destructive and impulsive behaviour, somatic complaints, shame, depressive behaviours, social problems, feeling “damaged” or threatened, and personality changes (APA, 2000, p.465). A key aspect of PTSD is that the traumatic event is constantly re-experienced in the form of memories, dreams, a sense of reenactment, or physiological or psychological distress when a person is faced with cues that remind him or her of the trauma. Young children may also relive the trauma through repetitive play and manifest beliefs that their lives will be shortened or that they can foresee negative events. In addition, someone with PTSD generally experiences increased arousal and avoids stimuli that are linked to the traumatic event. To qualify as PTSD, these symptoms must last longer than 1 month and must case significant impairment in functioning. PTSD is considered chronic if the symptoms last longer than 3 months (APA, 2000). About one-third of youths who experience sexual abuse later develop PTSD (Kendall-Tackett, Williams, & Finkelhor, 1993). The assessment of youths who have endured sexual abuse and who experience symptoms of PTSD usually involves some type of interview. For obvious reasons, interviewers usually focus on the child and must do so carefully and without forcefulness. The interviewer must develop rapport with the child and provide a safe, confidential environment where the child feels comfortable expressing personal issues. The professional’s first task is to clarify whether any abuse had occurred and, if so, what type. Rating scales can be used to assess PTSD and related symptoms caused by sexual abuse. One example is the Trauma Symptoms Checklist for Children which contain items related to anxiety, depression, anger, posttraumatic stress, dissociation, and sexual concerns (Briere, 1996). Sample items from this measure include
- Bad dreams or nightmares.
- Remembering things that happened that I didn’t like.
- Feeling scared of men/women.
- Can’t stop thinking about something bad happening to me.
- Feeling afraid somebody will kill me.
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