Mary Ellen Dale Ph D

The Capacity to Disappear Mary Ellen Dale Ph D

The Capacity to Disappear is a conversational style book written to offer dialogue to mothers and other caregivers, depicting how easy and unintentional it is to disappear from a child's mental and fragile existence. The book (and workbook) presents a window into how a child may negatively internalize situations that parents view as normal, common, or routine. The book points out how parents can chip away at a child's individuality which could obstruct normal development. It further opens the door to what has been missing from traditional professional help, honesty. The Capacity to Disappear is candid about the problems facing children and the lack of interest given by professionals to the plight of disadvantaged parents. The book guides the discussion from the difficulties of early childhood through the concerning issues of the teenage years. The author addresses parental bias and the need for advocacy for families. Mary Ellen Dale believes that supporting parents, especially single mothers, could do better for the family than placing blame on the adverse outcomes of children. The author's experience of providing therapy in several mental health agencies has given her insight into working with families by supporting and educating them in a safe, non-combative and non-judgmental atmosphere. This approach helped caregivers understand that change is a universal concept and not meant just for the child. This book discusses runaway causes and behaviors of teens, and the negative effects that running away create; specifically, exploitation, sex trafficking, trauma and other physical and mental health issues. It also weighs in on how easy it is to disappear even while sharing the same space.