This is not a cover of the song by Sonia. This book is about working therapeutically with people who have been incarcerated, having been convicted of some of the most horrendous crimes.
Such a patient population does not usually garner much empathy, and it is hard to imagine how Gwen would be able to do the job she does. The following quote sheds a little light on this: “Over the years, I’ve come to think of my patients as survivors of a disaster, where they are the disaster and my colleagues and I are the first responders.”
Surely there’s benefit in understanding and pre-empting rather than reacting solely with reflexive moral outrage, locking people up and throwing away the key? Unfortunately criminals usually get access to therapy after they have committed a crime. This is a fascinating book and raises some important questions that are very relevant for today’s divisively opinionated and often intolerant society.
I was lucky enough to meet and work alongside Gwen on occasion when I was working at the Maudsley hospital. Gwen voices this book in its audio form and the warmth, intelligence and curiosity that I recall are here for all listeners to benefit from.