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Parenting Psychoanalysed

Letters to a Parent

Andy Cohen

$294

Hardback

Forthcoming
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English
Routledge
30 May 2025
The first book of its kind, Parenting Psychoanalysed: Letters to a Parent collates the musings of a thoughtful group of psychoanalysts with a series of candid letters, each addressing the aspect of parenthood they most want to share and what they wish they knew before becoming a parent.

Written in the simplest of terms, each contributor shares a letter that reflects both personally and professionally on parenthood, sharing their feelings, insights and psychoanalytic reflections with the parent-reader. Drawing on their deep understanding of the mind and the personal work done on themselves, each writer digests what it really means to be a parent, what they didn’t expect when they were expecting, the pleasures and anxieties of parenting, the ordinary ambiguities and ambivalence evoked by their children at various life stages, as well as many other gems that no other parenting books are talking about. This international collection begins an important conversation with mothers, fathers and caregivers; encouraging them to consider how their inner worlds, worries and wishes matter deeply and hold important clues about how to parent in an open and authentic way. Each letter shows how understanding this dynamic is key to raising a healthy, balanced family and living more freely.

This thought-provoking book connects parents through personal stories and profound psychoanalytic insights, and is an essential read for every mother, father and caregiver.
Edited by:  
Imprint:   Routledge
Country of Publication:   United Kingdom
Dimensions:   Height: 234mm,  Width: 156mm, 
ISBN:   9781032472010
ISBN 10:   1032472014
Pages:   300
Publication Date:  
Audience:   General/trade ,  Professional and scholarly ,  ELT Advanced ,  Undergraduate
Format:   Hardback
Publisher's Status:   Forthcoming

Andy Cohen is a psychotherapist and candidate psychoanalyst with the South African Psychoanalytical Association (SAPA). Andy is passionate about making psychoanalytic thinking more accessible, seen in her TEDx Talk, ""A Mom Can’t Always Act Like a Grown-Up – Here’s Why"", which explores the unconscious forces between parent and child. She holds an MA Fine Art and is also trained as a community art counsellor at Lefika La Phodiso, an NGO providing art-based psychodynamic mental health services to at-risk communities. She currently lives and works in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Reviews for Parenting Psychoanalysed: Letters to a Parent

""This collection of 39 letters is as unique as its creator/editor, who conceived of a way for psychoanalysis to reach out and touch parents in order to enable them to comprehend what makes parenting so perplexing at times and how it may well become the most exciting adventure that life has in store, one that becomes rewarding in ways one might never have imagined. Upon reading her Introduction, I sensed Andy Cohen is one who understands from experience how psychoanalysis works, and is one who has a talent for communicating her understanding in plain English. Her conception has lead to the birth of this extraordinary collection of letters from parents around the globe. These authors are moms and dads that have themselves been analysed during their training to become psychoanalysts. Cohen urges each reader to 'dream their way through these letters' that speak to each writer’s experiences of failure and success in navigating the fascinating minefield that is parenthood. I am convinced that this book should be on the shelf of every prospective or present-day parent and may well lead to their own emotional and mental development, as well as that of the children"". Judith L. Mitrani, PhD, FIPA, Psychoanalyst, author and novelist ""As a broadcaster and founder of 'Baby Brunch' a parenting support podcast, I engage in many enriching conversations. In nearly all these exchanges, I find that people either use their talents to help others or draw from personal experiences to do so. Andy Cohen is one such person, offering both. While countless books have been written on this subject – and I've had numerous interviews about it – never before have I felt such a deep sense of connection with stories that resonate so closely with my own. Andy’s book captivated me for days. It encouraged me to approach my own parenting challenges with more care, thanks to the wisdom shared in these heartfelt letters. While I thought I knew a lot about parenting – as a stepmother of two and mother of four – this book reframed parenting for me: It reminded me that the feelings we go through are valid and surmountable, allowing us to better understand ourselves and evolve into the parents we are meant to be. The deeply personal stories from these leading international experts will engage, inspire, and ground you. It’s a powerful journey that brings joy and enlightenment, and ultimately, a true rebirth for every parent"". Elana Afrika-Bredenkamp, Radio personality and host of South Africa’s leading parenting podcast


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