The New Don't Blame Mother

by Paula J. Caplan

In 1990, Paula Caplan, a nationally recognized expert on the psychology of women, wrote the groundbreaking Don't Blame Mother. Now, almost ten years later, she finds that we are still blaming mothers. Fully revised, updated with a new introduction, this second edition proposes new ways of mending the mother-daughter relationship.
The New Don't Blame Mending the Mother-Daughter Relationship shows us that dangerous myths about mothers pervade our culture and have created or aggravated many of the problems between mothers and daughters. Myths of the Perfect Mother give rise to impossible expectations and set mothers up for failure--good mothers don't get angry, good mothers are endlessly giving--and myths of the Bad Mother exaggerate mothers' failings and create a monster figure in her image--mothers are too needy, mothers can't let go.
Caplan shows that if women can identify these myths then they can take concrete steps to build a strong and loving relationship with their mothers. The New Don't Blame Mother shows how the anger and agony of the mother-daughter relationship can be replaced with a new bond based on understanding and respect.
The New Don't Blame Mother is a must-read for all mothers and daughters. Caplan, drawing on over twenty-five years of research, clinical practice, and the experience of workshop participants, will show you how to stop blaming mother and, instead, start loving her.

288 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 1989

About the author

Paula J. Caplan, Ph.D., is a clinical and research psychologist, author of books and plays, playwright, actor, and director. She was born and raised in Springfield, Missouri, received her A.B. with honors from Radcliffe College of Harvard University, and received her M.A. and Ph.D. in psychology from Duke University. She is currently an Affiliate at Harvard University's DuBois Institute, working on their Voices of Diversity project, and a past Fellow at the Women and Public Policy Program of the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard. She has given more than 400 invited addresses and invited workshops and has done more than 1,000 media interviews as part of her work in public education and activism.
She is former Full Professor of Applied Psychology and Head of the Centre for Women's Studies in Education at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, and former Lecturer in Women's Studies and Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Toronto. Her twelfth and latest book is When Johnny and Jane Come Marching Home: How All of Us Can Help Veterans.

Reviews

[Cruz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very nice book to heal relationship with your mother. It contains a lot of stories about other people and then a comment from a professional PhD Psychology.

[Kayla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eye opening

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. I appreciate the new perspective and hope to take it with me. It is well written and sensitively addresses this topic.

[Cws]

306.8