# Tackling the Tough Stuff, Second Edition

A Home Visitor's Guide to Supporting Families at Risk

Early Childhood

Now more than ever, today’s at-risk families need home visitors who can address their complex challenges with skill and sensitivity. This timely second edition will help home visitors manage even the toughest situations they encounter on the job—and support and empower vulnerable families of children birth to 3.

|     |     |
| --- | --- |
| STOCK NUMBER | ISBN |
| 57877 | 978-1-68125-787-7 |
| COPYRIGHT | PAGES |
| 2025 | 288 |
| AVAILABILITY |  |
| Available Stock |  |

The authors present their highly effective PAUSE framework (Perceive, Ask, Understand, Strategize, and Evaluate), a blend of relationship-based practice, reflective skills, and recommended strategies for supporting at-risk families. Readers will learn how to develop positive partnerships with parents and caregivers, address specific challenges in skillful and culturally sensitive ways, and give families the tools and knowledge they need to generate their own solutions. Vignettes, sample dialogues, and fillable PDF forms help home visitors translate evidence-based strategies into everyday action.

**WHAT’S NEW**

- Coverage of contemporary topics such as virtual home visiting, reflective supervision, and diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice (DEIJ)
- Expanded content on setting boundaries and avoiding professional burnout
- Updated research on child-based issues like self-regulation, aggression, and separation anxiety, as well as parent issues like substance abuse, domestic violence, and mental illness
- Updates to reflect the ongoing impact of COVID-19 on families and children
- More on the PAUSE framework’s compatibility with home visiting programs such as Parents as Teachers, Early Head Start, and Healthy Families America
- New downloadable, fillable PDFs for easier use

## Reviews

Elizabeth B. Frisbie, MA, MS.Ed., I/ECMH-C, CCP, Early Childhood Mental Health Consultant/Reflective Supervisor, Prevention Initiative (0-3) and Preschool For All Programs, IL State Board of Education

"Filled with case examples of real-life situations, tips for practice, helpful guidance worksheets, and applications of the PAUSE framework, Tackling the Tough Stuff (2nd Ed) is destined to become a foundational reference in the field of early childhood home visiting. The authors' conversational tone and practical guidance regarding many challenging situations will make this book a go-to resource for home visitors experiencing uncertainty in their work. Readers will feel supported, gain new skills and increase their sense of competency in addition to broadening their understanding of the experiences of today’s families and how best to support them through reflective relationships."

Dorian Traube, Ph.D., LCSW,

"Tackling the Tough Stuff 2e is a vital tool for translating research-based strategies into comprehensive, actionable guidance for home visitors. Home visitors who practice from this relational and reflective approach will find that they are better able to support families navigating personal and structural challenges."

Bridget A. Walsh, Ph.D., CFLE,

"**Tackling the Tough Stuff: A Home Visitor's Guide to Supporting Families at Risk, Second Edition** is an invaluable resource that emphasizes the well-being of home visitors, the importance of relationships, and the valuable PAUSE framework. This framework values perspective-taking and thoughtful solution-finding by integrating reflective practice with relational skills, helping home visitors navigate complex situations by encouraging them to pause, reflect, and respond thoughtfully. It's a powerful tool supporting the home visitor's professional growth and the family's progress. This text is an essential addition to any home visitor's or supporter of home visitors' library, offering practical tips, reflection exercises, and effective approaches to the complex challenges of supporting families at risk."

**Authors:**  [Angela M. Tomlin Ph.D., HSPP](https://products.brookespublishing.com/cw_contributorinfo.aspx?ContribID=72027&Name=Angela+M.+Tomlin+Ph.D.%2c+HSPP), [Stephan A. Viehweg ACSW, LCSW](https://products.brookespublishing.com/cw_contributorinfo.aspx?ContribID=72028&Name=Stephan+A.+Viehweg+ACSW%2c+LCSW)  
**Foreword Author:**  [Katherine Rosenblum Ph.D., ABPP](https://products.brookespublishing.com/cw_contributorinfo.aspx?ContribID=216905&Name=Katherine+Rosenblum+Ph.D.%2c+ABPP)

**Watch a webinar**  
[Supporting Families in Uncertain Times](/content/resource-library/supporting-families-in-uncertain-times/index.html)

**Download the alignment**  
[How Our Early Childhood Products Help Strengthen Head Start Program Quality and School Readiness](/content/resource-library/brookes-publishings-head-start-alignment/index.html)