The Normal One: Life with a Difficult or Damaged SiblingRandom House Publishing Group, 30.09.2003 - 224 Seiten What is it like to grow up with a sibling who is difficult or damaged? Few bonds in our lives are as psychologically and emotionally significant as the ones we share with our sisters and brothers, although little has been written about this formative relationship. In this first-of-its-kind book, psychotherapist Jeanne Safer takes us into the hidden world of problem siblings and explores the far-reaching effects on the lives of those who are considered the “normal ones.” Drawing on more than sixty interviews with normal, or intact, siblings, Safer explores the daunting challenges they face, and probes the complex feelings that can strain families and damage lives. A “normal” sibling herself, Safer chronicles her own life-shaping experiences with her troubled brother. She examines the double-edged reality of normal ones: how they both compensate for their siblings’ abnormality and feel guilty for their own health and success. With both wisdom and empathy, she delineates the “Caliban Syndrome,” a set of personality traits characteristic of higher-functioning siblings: premature maturity, compulsion to achieve, survivor guilt, and fear of contagion. Essential reading for normal ones and those who love them, this landmark work offers readers insight, compassion, and tools to help resolve childhood pain. It is a profound and eye-opening examination of a subject that has too long been shrouded in darkness. |
Inhalt
A Life of Ones Own | 137 |
My Brothers Keeper | 139 |
The Caliban Syndrome | 159 |
Acknowledgment | 179 |
bibliography | 197 |
201 | |
Andere Ausgaben - Alle anzeigen
The Normal One: Life with a Difficult or Damaged Sibling Jeanne Safer Keine Leseprobe verfügbar - 2002 |
The Normal One: Life with a Difficult Or Damaged Sibling Jeanne Safer Keine Leseprobe verfügbar - 2003 |
Häufige Begriffe und Wortgruppen
abnormal accept achieve acknowledge actually adult anxiety asked attention avoid became become behavior believe better brother Caliban Caliban Syndrome called caretaker cause child childhood common consider damaged sibling daughter depressed disabled dread dream efforts emotional everything expected experience face fail fate father fear feel felt finally forced friends give guilt hard healthy intact it's Jackie keep later less lives look mental mother natural needs never normal siblings older once pain parents person physically play possible problem Prospero realize recognize refused relationship remember repudiation responsibility retarded role says seems sense shame share sibling's sister stay Steven success talk tell thing thought tion told took tried troubled trying turned understand wish woman worry younger