A Motherless Child
A Motherless Child dives into a historical semi-fictional account of overcoming life’s adverse conditions through the story telling of mental health character building attributes that exist within all humans
About The Author
Doug Knight was born in Laredo Texas and raised in the Jefferson County, Steubenville Ohio area. Doug has two daughters ages 18 and 20. He enjoys spending time with family and engages in camping trips as much as possible.
Doug is a Licensed Social Worker (LSW) with a Master of Science (MS) in Criminal Justice and Corrections from Youngstown State University and has a Master of Social Work (MSW) degree with an Advanced Generalist specialization from Campbellsville University. Doug has been a youth counselor/mentor for 30 years working with youth as a wrestling coach, school social worker and with troubled youth and families as a juvenile probation officer.
Doug recently retired as a Juvenile Probation Officer/Program Director of 27 years and immediately upon retirement became employed as a social worker for three years in a Jefferson County local school district.
BOOK
A Motherless Child dives into a historical semi-fictional account of overcoming life’s adverse conditions through the story telling of mental health character building attributes that exist within all humans. These mental health contributing attributes are in three areas of the human life cycle which are the biological (genetic predispositions), environmental (life experiences), and psychological (faith/belief in oneself).
The mental health and well-being of the characters in this book presents social emotional conditions that go beyond the main character’s control but are absorbed and processed by the main character through limited personal social emotional resources. The story of “Jaygile James Sullivan” explores the biological, environmental, and psychological journey that takes place prior to his life and during his life without the traditional support systems that most people and families get to enjoy and possibly take for granted. This book dives into a semi-fictional account of the social dynamics that a person’s life, without the traditional family support systems, will encounter and will have to overcome, all the while maintaining peace of mind and personal strength through the challenging life cycle process. It is a story of struggle and suffering that produce lifelong positive personality characteristics.
FAQ
A Motherless Child is a semi-fictional historical novel that explores overcoming life’s adversities through the lens of mental health character-building attributes. It follows the journey of Jaygile James Sullivan, who navigates life without traditional family support systems while developing resilience, strength, and peace of mind.
The book delves into themes of mental health, personal resilience, social-emotional development, and the impact of biological, environmental, and psychological factors on a person’s well-being.
While the book is semi-fictional, it is inspired by real-life experiences and challenges that individuals face when growing up without traditional support systems.
The protagonist, Jaygile James Sullivan, experiences life without the conventional family support that many take for granted. The book follows his journey of overcoming hardships while developing key personality traits that shape his resilience.
The book highlights the biological (genetic predispositions), environmental (life experiences), and psychological (faith/belief in oneself) aspects of mental health. It shows how a person processes adversity and builds emotional strength despite difficult circumstances.
This book is for readers interested in historical fiction, mental health awareness, personal growth, and stories of resilience. It may also appeal to those who enjoy thought-provoking narratives about overcoming life’s challenges.
Unlike many coming-of-age stories, A Motherless Child offers a deep psychological perspective on how a lack of traditional family support affects a person’s development. It provides an insightful look into social dynamics, emotional resilience, and personal growth.
The book emphasizes the power of inner strength, perseverance, and self-belief. It showcases how individuals can overcome adversity and develop strong character traits despite life’s hardships.
Knowing the importance of education and childhood development, Doug, as a school social worker, had the opportunity to extensively provide student/family support services with elementary students and families to ensure that they are engaged in services that encourage and enhance student wellbeing and in person learning routines.
Doug was recently inducted into the Baldwin Wallace University Athletic Hall of Fame (Class of 2024 Male Wrestling) for his accomplishments as a NCAA student athlete from 1991 to 1995.
Doug now resides in the Bradenton, Sarasota area of Florida to spend more time with his daughters and provide private therapeutic mentoring sessions for youth and families urgently pursuing healthy relationship pathways with each other.
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Contact
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