What is Terrorism?

How can parents talk with their children about unspeakable terrorist attacks? How can they help them make sense of actions that most of us find irrational? How can they comfort them despite the perception of ongoing threat? In 'What is terrorism?', world-renowned clinical psychologists have distilled wisdom from decades of work with children and families to answer these topical questions... 'What is Terrorism?' is a highly accessible book that empowers parents and carers to support children after terrorist attacks. -- European Journal of Psychotraumatology This book succeeds in doing a difficult and vital job: explaining a particularly frightening phenomenon to children in a way that's fair and in language that's understandable. Having read or listened to the book, children will feel clearer and less scared. Carers and professionals will, in turn, feel more confident about having the conversations that really matter. -- Nick Luxmoore, psychotherapist, trainer, supervisor and author The authors do an excellent job transforming scary concepts into clear and candid explanations so they are much less frightening to children. A section for children provides practical coping skills to manage worries of dramatic news. Another section equips teachers, parents and other adults to answer tough questions while providing much needed reassurance. -- Carol Lozier LCSW, author of DBT Therapeutic Activity Ideas for Working with Teens

Atle Dyregrov is a clinical psychologist and the Director of the Center for Crisis Psychology in Bergen, Norway. He has researched and lectured extensively on child psychology and has provided consultancy work for different UN organizations. Magne Raundalen is the most eminent child psychologist in Norway, and works with children in crisis. He is president of the Norwegian UNICEF Committees, and also works at the Center for Crisis Psychology in Bergen. William Yule is Emeritus Professor of Applied Child Psychology at the Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London and has been named one of the UK's top 100 practising scientists by the Science Council.

Foreword; PART 1: For Children; 1.What is terror and terrorism?; 2. What is new today?; 3. How can you better understand?; 4. The risk of being involved in a terrorist attack; 5. What can be done to reduce the risk of a terrorist attack?; 6. What can you do if you become worried or afraid?; 7. Do adults get afraid?; PART 2: For Parents; 8. Terror and children; 9. Why is it important to talk to children?; 10. Need to understand - providing pegs; 11. How to break news; 12. Need comforting and calming; 13. Calm parental behaviour produces calm children; 14. Approaching conversations; 15. Using your antennas; 16. Finding ways of explaining; 17. What can you say about terror, terrorism, and terrorists?; 18. About wrong thoughts and the mind's cleaning machine; 19. Age appropriate conversations; 20. Keep a tab on their media intake; 21. Admitting own worries; 22. Prepare them for action?; 23. Build on their compassion; 24. Summing up: Ten tips on talking to children