Critical Psychophysical Passages in the Life of a Woman, Softcover reprint of the original 1st ed. 1988 A Psychodynamic Perspective

After the birth of my second son some 11 years ago, I was painfully torn by the timing of my reentry to work-my wish to return to a prestigious and stimulating position as chief psychologist of a large agency, or my equally powerful wish to enjoy fully my beautiful new son's infancy, undivided and untorn. At the time I had a dream that my body was cut in half at the waist-my head leaned to the books neatly contained on the library shelves; my belly went to the crib, all sweet-smelling and soft. Not having had the opportunity to be "un­ divided" with my first son (now 17 years old), I chose to resign my agency position and stay home as long as I wished and then develop my private practice. It was a decision that at the time entailed much loss-cerebral, collegial, social, pres­ tigious-and generated some self-doubt, but in retrospect it is not regretted and was perhaps wise. This son's infancy will always be remembered as a time in which I experienced mothering with ease and grace.

I • Early Developmental Themes: The Emotional Birth of the Female.- 1 • Psychohistorical Reflections on Changing Body Images for Women.- 2 • Early Female Development: From Birth through Latency.- 3 • Reflections on the Daughter as a Projective Screen: Mother—Daughter Boundaries.- 4 • The Father’s Role in the Self-Development of His Daughter.- II • Female Passages of the Body-Self.- 5 • Menarche and Menstruation: Psychoanalytic Implications.- 6 • Motivations for Motherhood and the Nature of the Self—Object Tie.- 7 • Psychoanalytic Aspects of Pregnancy.- III • From Body-Self to Other.- 8 • Psychology of Childbirth.- 9 • The Postpartum Period: Analytic Reflections on the Potential for Agony and Ecstasy.- 10 • The Nursing Experience: A Clinical Study.- 11 • Emotional Aspects of Pregnancy and Childbirth.- IV • Later Developmental Themes.- 12 • A Study of Menopausal Women in Analytic Treatment.- 13 • Menopause: Myth and Reality.- V • Twentieth Century Female Issues and Problems.- 14 • Body Image in the 21st Century.- 15 • Psychodynamics of Abortion: Regression or Rebirth?.- 16 • Women and Eating Disorders.- 17 • Psychological Consequences of Infertility.- Overview: Biotechnology and the 21st Century.