Saying 'no' often seems very difficult. There is an unspoken rule that if you are a polite and sensitive person, this is not something you do. But while saying 'no' is almost always harder than saying 'yes', it is a vital part of loving relationships.
Saying No looks at the developing child within the family and addresses the process of setting limits. Asha Phillips writes as both a child psycho-therapist and a mother, using case studies as well as informal anecdotes from family and friends as illustrations. She believes that by increasing our awareness of what drives our actions, we gain more choice. She strips away the negative associations surrounding the word 'no' and celebrates change and movement as essential ingredients in development. This is a book about building confidence and self-esteem in both parents and children.
Asha Phillips is a child psychotherapist trained at the Tavistock Clinic. She has worked in Child Guidance settings as well as in a Hospital Paediatric Department. At present she works privately, seeing children, families and couples. She is a visiting lecturer at the Tavistock Clinic and teaches for the British Association of Psychotherapists. She is married, has two daughters and lives in London.