Includes bibliographical references and index.

Tina's world -- For your own good -- Stairway to heaven -- Skin hunger -- The coldest heart -- The boy who was raised as a dog -- Satanic panic -- The raven -- "Mom is lying. Mom is hurting me. Please call the police" -- The kindness of children -- Healing communities -- A picture, not a label.

Deftly combining unforgettable case histories with his own compassionate strategies for rehabilitation, a child psychiatrist explains what exactly happens to the brain when a child is exposed to extreme stress--and reveals the measures that can be taken to ease a child's pain and help him grow into a healthy adult.