Broken Spirits: The Treatment of Traumatized Asylum Seekers, Refugees, War and Torture Victims. Edited by John P. Wilson and Boris Drožđek. New York: Brunner-Routledge, 2004. xxx + 706pp. $59.95, ISBN 0 415 94397 3 hb.

Abstract

Broken Spirits is a comprehensive handbook, divided into seven parts, about theories, concepts, methodologies, clinical issues, and legal and moral aspects of mental health care for refugees and asylum seekers. Most of the authors are well-known professionals working in specialized, mainly Western European and Australian, mental health services. As the subtitle of the book reflects, its contents are based on Western constructs of trauma and therapy, but in various chapters the appropriateness of these concepts is discussed and substantial attention is given to their adaptation to the ethno-cultural diversity of the clients. A few chapters—Aroche and Coelho on ethno-cultural considerations, Turković et al. on strengthening psychological health, and Ekblad and Jaranson on psychosocial rehabilitation—describe community approaches and mental health preventive measures. However, the focus of the book is on individual, family and group therapy and directly related aspects, based on a wealth of experience built up by the authors...