Coming Around

Parenting Gay, Bisexual and Lesbian Kids

RELEASING OCTOBER 2012

by Anne Dohrenwend, PhD, ABPP

“I’m gay.” When a child confesses these words to a parent, they can totally transform and redefine the relationship. Whether that transformation results in a closer bond or a broken one is entirely dependent upon the parent's ability to accept, nurture and honor the child whatever his or her sexual orientation.

Coming Around is an insightful and uplifting resource for understanding and handling your child’s sexual orientation and for maintaining dialogue between parent and child. With compassion and wisdom, Dohrenwend addresses parents' fears regarding bigotry and social and religious prejudice, what not to say and how to understand homophobia, the legal issues faced and most importantly how to communicate that, whatever happens with your child's sexuality, you will never withdraw your love.

Coming out is a vulnerable time. A child’s announcement requires the re-exploration of a parent's personal feelings on homosexuality. Respecting your teen or adult child’s decisions isn’t always easy, particularly if you fear his or her decisions will cost friends, ambitions, acceptance and respect. Coming Around is a rich resource jam-packed with insights, information and practical guidance for parents of gay and bisexual children, as well as being an indispensable reference for therapists, clergy, educators and psychological self-help collections.

Anne Dohrenwend, PhD, ABPP, has a PhD in counseling psychology from the University of North Dakota and is board certified in Clinical Health Psychology. She is currently the assistant program director of the Internal Medicine Residency Program at McLaren Regional Medical Center, Ann Arbor, Michigan and is an associate professor at Michigan State University. She and her partner reside in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Nonfiction, 5 1/2 x 8 1/2, 240 pages
Self-help/Parenting
LC #??, world rights
ISBN-13: 978-0-88282-393-5, (pb), $14.95