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Book review
From Isolation to Intimacy. Making Friendswithout Words
By Phoebe Caldwell with Jane Horwood
Jessica Kingsley Publishers, London. 2007. 188 pp., £12.99(pbk). ISBN-10: 1843105004.
Anyone working closely with people with severelearning disabilities or Autism Spectrum Conditionswill find this latest book invaluable. Building on thethemes she presented in ‘Finding you Finding me’(2006, Jessica Kingsley), Phoebe Caldwell presentsa user-friendly guide to using intensive interactionwith people who are unable to communicate ver-bally. Numerous cases are presented in an acces-sible way, highlighting that by taking time tounderstand an individual’s perspective and sensoryexperience, we can gain access to their world andthus to a meaningful connection with them. Givingpeople a sense of self through non-verbal
communication can alleviate stress and thus reducebehaviours that challenge us, instead providingopportunities for positive interactions.
Sticklers for theory may find the lack of a soundevidence base and the apparent dismissal of majorcognitive developmental models frustrating.However, those of us who need to reach people forwhom the world is so stressful and confusing mayconsider this frustration worth tolerating, as thepractical benefits of this approach are certainlyevident on an individual basis.
I will certainly be encouraging colleagues, train-ees, assistants, parents and carers to read this book,as I have no doubt that this approach is a valuableadjunct to other psychological strategies.
Fran Davies
The Essex Autistic Society, Colchester, UK
Journal of Intellectual Disability Research
volume 52 part 3 p 269 march 2008269
© 2008 The Author. Journal Compilation © 2008 Blackwell Publishing Ltd