Analyzing Augusten Burroughs's 'Running With Scissors'

“Running with Scissors” addressed many issues within the LGBTQ community, sexual abuse and mental health, large issues facing our society. During my time reading the book, I always faced many concerns on how this book related to my life and the children I work with on a daily basis. The author Augusten Burroughs depicts his childhood and the obstacles he faced. The booked touched based on a child opening up about his sexuality, growing up to soon in society and dealing with a parent with a mental health issue. The reading demonstrated meaningful messages, information available for my personal and professional development, and imposed critical thinking in the larger issues discussed. The book’s most meaningful message was the issues children sometimes have to deal with and how it forces them to grow up. The protagonist of the book, was a son of an alcoholic father and mentally disturbed mother. Due to the martial issues his parents divorced and the main character was introduced to therapy and issues surrounding mental health. Many of the issues of the children I work with stem from their parents. Some

Such as the ethical standards of the mental health professional in the reading. Many of the times the therapist made many decisions that would raise concern to individuals on his focus. Such as allowing clients to live with him and his family for “intense therapy” In addition the therapist never made any type of calls to child protective services based on the conditions the main character had to live thru. In addition, the main character’s mother had many mental issues and they didn’t seem to be addressed. The parent was directed towards discovering herself. She did identify some core reasons why she was unhappy in her marriage, including her sexual orientation. Many of the questions that came to mind where based around the adult figures in the child’s