My Name Is...A Book For: Teens, Parents, Educators & Helping Professionals
Seven stories inspired by real teens who have experienced divorced, separated or single parent families.
Meet Natalie as she tries to survive her parent’s alcoholism and divorce.
Tim struggles to cope with his parents surprising separation which starts civil and rapidly turns ugly.
Olivia fights to understand how Mom leaves Dad to be with her girlfriend.
and more .......
These young people share feelings of loss, anger, fear, abandonment, helplessness and more as related to their families. Their situations vary but there are common threads. They seek answers to their questions. They are looking for strategies to navigate the changes in their lives. They struggle to overcome the feeling of being alone, a feeling that no one else shares their experiences or their confusion.
Bookauthority - "10 Best New Single Parent Books to Read In 2023"
Praise for "My Name Is..."
Dr. Berrens has written a compelling book reminding us of the pain divorce can cause. As divorce is such a common experience for many children, it is often overlooked as a source of great distress. Dr Berrens book provides a reminder of this pain and shows the
healing aspect of therapy. As a child and adolescent psychiatrist I highly recommend this book to anyone working with children and adolescents.
Dr. James Van Haren MD
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As a teacher, I read this book to have a better understanding of what some of my students may be going through. It gave me that and
so much more! Written in a way that is approachable for adults and teens alike, it is a compilation of stories that will open your eyes to struggles and situations that potentially could affect kids of all walks of life. It’s an important read! Don’t wait!
Kelly Langenbruner, Teacher
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John Berrens’ book, “My Name is . . .” fills a unique niche among books on the topic of divorce, separation, and single-parent families. Written for teens, parents, and educators, Berrens’ book offers a personal perspective from the point of view of several youth who give
their eyewitness account of how they navigated the trauma of growing up in a dysfunctional home in which parents don’t always live happily ever after.
While the stories are fictional, they are written in almost memoir-like fashion and are in fact, composites of youth whose true life experiences the author has gleaned from years of counseling students in the schools. The stories themselves are heart-wrenching, gutsy, and courageous.
“My name is . . .” seeks to inform and awaken the reader’s awareness of how family dysfunction in its various forms impacts the social, emotional, and even physical development of children and teens. Parents and educators who read this book will come away more cognizant and alert to the warning signs of a child going through family dysfunction. Teens who themselves are going through divorce or family breakup will realize that they are not alone and may even find the courage to share their own story with someone they can trust.
Bill Bently, Author, School Psychologist
Life Changes Magazine - Canada
Deena Kordt from Life Changes Magazine, inteviews John about the some the the changes children may experience as a result of their parents divorce.
View the interview : You Tube www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGYDGjZyvz
Life Changes Channel: My Name Is... #66
About The Author
John Berrens is a PhD level School Psychologist and certified School Counselor. He earned his Master’s Degree in Clinical Psychology from Oakland University and his PhD from the University of Cincinnati. John did additional training in counseling at Xavier University and worked as an adjunct professor at The College of Mt. St. Joseph.
John spent the majority of his career in the counseling departments at middle and junior high schools where he accumulated extensive experience in both individual and group counseling. Over the years John recognized that a large number of teens who experienced anxiety, depression, substance abuse, self-injury, and more came from divorced, separated or single parent families.
The writing of "My Name Is…" was based hundreds of stories shared with John in group or individual counseling. Hopefully these stories might provide some comfort for the teens who read them. As many students who have been in a group have said, “I always thought I was alone in what I had gone through in my family.” These stories encourage parents to pause and consider what their children might be experiencing. These stories might open the eyes for many educators and provide perspective to the challenges many young people are dealing with today. "My Name Is…." can be another tool in the toolbox for helping professionals. The stories are nobody’s story, they are everybody’s story.
