Table of Contents

Contents; Foreword; Introduction; Part One - Womanhood; 1. Understanding Distress: the development and relief of symptoms; 2. Woman's Role and Identity: biological and sociological influence; 3. The Development of Feminine Identity and Sexuality; 4. On Becoming a Mother: psychodynamic issues of adolescence, mating and parenthood Dinora Pines; 5. Bonding and Rejection; Part Two - Distressed Womanhood; 6. Hungry Womanhood: eating disorders; 7. Womanhood Despoiled: childhood sexual abuse; 8. Lesbian Womanhood; 9. Childless Womanhood; 10. Barren Womanhood: psychological aspects of infertility George Christie and Mike Pawson; 11. Motherhood Thwarted: miscarriage, stillbirth and adoption; 12. Motherhood Bereft: loss of a child; 13. Motherhood Disappointed: the imperfect child; 14. Motherhood Depressed; 15. Perverse Womanhood: physical and psychological child abuse; 16. Bereft Womanhood: bereavement and widowhood; 17. Pairing and Parting: divorce and remarriage; 18. Single Motherhood Jane Price; 19. Step Motherhood Gill Gorell-Barnes; 20. Femininity assaulted: hysterectomy, gynaecological malignancy and mastectomy

About the Author

Dr Pamela Ashurst, Dr Zaida Hall

Reviews

'A highly readable, thought-provoking book, written with conviction.' - The Psychologist