All Alone

About the Book

Broad in its scope and detailed in its research, this book analyzes the psychosocial conditions of Nigerian widows and childless women on inheritance and property relations, and highlights incidence of major trauma events, such as violence, abuse and neglect that affect millions of the female population every year. Currently, there is no mental health care model with the potential to address the psychological and social needs of survivors in a cost - effective dimension. This book presents such a model of raising awareness on the impact of cognitive predictors of mental distress (prolonged grief) associated with traumatic stressful experience and behaviour, making it invaluable for both policy-makers and mental health professionals. Building on more than seven years of extensive research on gender studies, culture and healthcare, as well as presentation and participation on academic seminars, conferences and workshops and some other religious and social scientific insights, this book provides a learning curve to harmful traditional practices and ideological cultural belief to aid understanding of various forms of psychological effects for abuse and domestic violence and how its adverse effect can be overcome through counselling and psychotherapy treatment. The book also offers a critical analysis of various controversial issues around patriarchal practice in patrilineal and kinship system associated with women’s disinheritance, rite of passage and their psychosocial conditions in the light of the present research findings. The author suggests education as a starting point around harmful traditional practices among the minority groups in developing countries; whilst seeking to promote value-centred vision on people’s cultural rights and healthcare, covering improvement on coping mechanism for abuse, the book will be of use to survivors themselves as well as care providers.

About the Author

Adolphus Ikechukwu Ezeakor is a cleric, philosopher, theologian and psychotherapist. He received a PhD from the Middlesex University of London. Currently, he is a research fellow on critical incident of major trauma at King’s College Hospital Denmark Hill London.