From There To Here: Stories of Adjustment To Spinal Cord Injury (2004)

Gary Karp and Stanley D. Klein (Eds)
No Limits Communications, Inc. P.O.Box 220 Horsham,PA,19044
271 pages; $18.95 US ISBN: 0-9712842-2-9

This book is a collection of 45 essays from individuals who share one characteristic, a spinal cord injury. Gary Karp, who experienced a spinal cord injury as a teenager, has written two books for wheelchair users. Stanley Klein, a clinical psychologist, has worked with people with disabilities for several decades, has authored books about his work and was the co-founder of Exceptional Parent magazine. They have chosen stories that reflect the diversity of its authors and of a spinal cord injury itself. The authors put forward their personal stories in a straightforward, frank style. They encourage those who have experienced a spinal cord injury to take what is useful to them and to reflect about their own story in order to move forward, from the time the spinal cord injury occurs, the there in these stories, to the place where an individual is living a fulfilling life, the here. The stories differ in many ways: the age at the time of the injury (12 to 60 years) and the level of injury which include the age at the time of writing the stories (16 to 66 years), the reactions of individuals and their friends and family, as well as the language and message of the authors. These stories are meant to offer hope as well as practical suggestions for individuals who find themselves in the position of living life with a spinal cord injury. The book includes a resource section, focusing on web-based information. The book is engaging. The reader will be challenged to get to know clients’ stories so that care can be client-centred. Rehabilitation is mentioned but not the focus. Rather, the authors show what was important to them at the time of the injury and later in their lives. The target audience is an individual with a spinal cord injury and his/her family and friends, but this is also a useful resource for occupational therapists and other health care professionals.

Anne O’Riordan