Welcome to the home page of Soaring Wings Press, an imprint dedicated to shaping the future of youth care. The mission of Soaring Wings Press is to publish works by first-time authors contributing fresh insights into improved outcomes in youth care. The goal is to provide this information not only to youth care professionals and educators but also to families and general readers.

Soaring Wings Press is a division of Appelstein Training Resources (ATR), LLC, owned and operated by author, keynote speaker, and national youth-care specialist Charlie Appelstein, MSW. ATR (www.charliea.com) provides strength-based presentations, consultation, as well as books and tapes to assist in better understanding and responding to the needs of at-risk children, youth, and their families.

"The champions of youth," says Appelstein, "are ushering in unprecedented progress in youth care principles, policies, and training. Soaring Wings Press is committed to chronicling and disseminating these innovative ideas. It is a subject area currently under serviced by other publishers and yet in great demand. That's why Soaring Wings has taken flight."

Soaring Wings Press is proud to announce the launch of its first book, Facing the Sunshine: A Young Woman’s Emergence from the Shadows of Sexual Abuse and Anorexia, by Sara Jane Thornton. This title—with a foreword by Beverly Engel and an appendix, "Anorexia Nervosa: A Perspective for Parents," by Kathryn Weaver, PhD, RN—is scheduled for publication in July 2007. To order a copy within the United States, visit the ATR website at www.charliea.com. For Canadian orders, and to learn more about Sara Thornton and her remarkable new book, please visit www.facingthesunshine.com.

Individuals wishing to submit a book manuscript to Soaring Wings Press should first send an e-mail query to Charlie Appelstein at charlieap@comcast.net. We won't be considering any new publications until 2008.

Introducing Our New Publication

FACING THE SUNSHINE

A Young Woman's Emergence from the Shadows of Sexual Abuse and Anorexia

by

Sara Jane Thornton

Forward By Beverly Engel

Facing the Sunshine is a true account of a journey to well-being following a childhood shrouded in the darkness of sexual abuse. At age sixteen, Sara Jane Thornton left home and spiraled into self-starvation, which nearly took her life. Hospitalized for two years after a suicide attempt at age twenty-one, she was subjected to seclusion, shock therapy, restraint with medication, and other adverse treatments. Aided finally by psychotherapy, self-empowering interactions, and her own innate resilience and determination, she defied expectations and was discharged. A failed attempt to live independently then convinced her to move in with her father, her abuser of many years, where she wrote this book and discovered the healing power of forgiveness. Merging her past with the present, she succeeded in shaping a radiant and meaningful future.

Reviews

"A must-read for any helping professional or loved one of a person momentarily swept up in the 'perfect storm' of childhood sexual abuse, intimacy problems, and eating disorders."

—Linda Sanford, LICSW
Author of Strong at the Broken Places and
Assistant Professor, Simmons College of Social Work

"A story of triumph and spiritual awakening that is bound to captivate readers. Candid, insightful, and inspirational."

-Viola Fodor, BEd, MEd
Psychotherapist, educator, and author of Desperately Seeking Self

"A gripping account of the absolute darkness and imprisonment brought on by self-destructive behaviour. Thornton effectively illustrates the vicious cycle of an eating disorder as she spirals into the 'hellhole' of depression, providing valuable insights into the struggle and inner turmoil stemming from childhood sexual abuse. I commend Thornton on having the courage to share her story to help others. She is living proof that there is triumph after adversity."

—Melinda Hutchings
Author of Fighting for Life: Anorexia—the Road to Recovery and How to Recover from Anorexia and Other Eating Disorders
Founder of www.bodycage.com

"In Facing the Sunshine, Sara Jane Thornton explores her psychological journey from victim of sexual abuse, through depression and anorexia, to recovery and becoming a survivor. In her courageous story she shares the pain and horror, the progress and regressions, she experienced through the course of years of treatment. Readers will develop a deeper understanding of the cognitive state of anorexics, the application of their intelligence to the goal of starving themselves, and the value of positive reinforcement and empathy in their treatment. Sara also shares the many ways she struggled with caregivers and the challenges that professionals can expect to experience when working with patients with severe eating disorders. For these reasons alone, Facing the Sunshine is an invaluable resource for such professionals."

—David Hirshberg, EdD
Executive Director, Germaine Lawrence School
Arlington, Massachusetts

"Thornton's is a journey of courage and hope; her message, vitally, one of compassion. She shines a light on the catastrophic consequences not only of sexual abuse but also of inept therapeutic intervention. Thornton’s ultimate recovery with the help of skilled and empathic therapists proves the critical need for a revision of standards to ensure more humane and effective psychiatric care."

—Aimee Liu
Author of Gaining: The Truth about Life after Eating Disorders

"Although Sara's story is startling with her frank description of a chaotic life, it is a sadly common fate to sufferers of childhood sexual abuse. Sara speaks for multitudes of women and men who have been victimized, and in turn have dysfunctional relationships, eating disorders, substance abuse, and self-mutilation, and other symptoms of borderline personality disorder. Her depiction of the insidious nature of anorexia nervosa is graphic and offers a clear picture of this life-threatening eating disorder."

—Leigh Cohn, MAT, CEDS
Editor-in-Chief, Eating Disorders: The Journal of Treatment and Prevention

"This story raises important questions about the treatment of the mentally ill and highlights grave deficiencies in the medical community, while leading us along a path of suffering, perseverance, and, finally, recovery."

—Melissa R. Gerson, LMSW
Psychotherapist and eating disorders specialist