Title: Mother Was a Psychopath
Subtitle: I Became a Psychologist
Subject Classification:  Psychology, Gender Studies  
BIC Classification: MMH, JFSJ, JM
BISAC Classification: PSY022000, PSY006000, SOC032000
Binding: Hardback, eBook
Publication date: 09 Nov 2024
ISBN (Hardback): 978-1-80441-683-9
ISBN (eBook): 978-1-80441-684-6

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Description

Female psychopaths are rarely diagnosed. If they have children, they tend to exert total control, violently and manipulatively, although outside the family they appear normal. Spouses rarely dare to confront a partner who turns demonic if questioned. She fights until her false accusations are accepted.

In this insightful and highly unusual autoethnographic study, the author, a qualified and licenced psychologist, explores her own and her mother’s unique story, and the psycho-social heritage from previous generations. The author explains the dissociative quality of the mother-daughter relation: one idealised; one terrorising. She illustrates how her brother carried the symptoms: anxious, obsessive-compulsive, and overprotected. His records from child psychiatry provide a fascinating documentation of the professional's perspective of the family. The father was the official root of any problem; his alcoholism was the mother's favourite cover. The author was unaware of her own deep wounds, until she herself became a wife and mother. Only then, through deep analytical psychotherapy, could she discover and experience trust.

The book is unique and fills a gap in the literature, in addressing the dynamics of female domestic violence, from a grown-up daughter’s psychological perspective. The author’s way of coping with later challenges in her adult life is inspiring and instructive in discussing how, for example, she keeps her boundaries in communication with her invading mother.

It is important reading for students, professionals and researchers in education, social work, child and family support, psychiatry and psychotherapy, primary care, and addiction clinics.

A previous version of this title was published in Swedish, in 2022.

Biography

Author(s):  Susanna Carolusson is a licenced psychologist and psychotherapist in private practice in Goteborg, Sweden

Reviews

"A courageous, insightful, and evocative memoir that explores the many systemic facets of our development from family to culture."
- Julie H. Linden, PHD, Licensed Psychologist, private practice, Oquossoc, Maine, USA

"A well-written thought-provoking book with valuable descriptions of the conditions in the 50s and 60s. Fascinating, self-revealing depiction of personal development despite difficult circumstances and family conditions. Inspirational reading about the ability to find one's own path towards understanding, self-knowledge and place in existence."
- Bertil Ansehn, MD., General Practitioner, Gothenburg, Sweden

"With deep dismay but also with unreserved admiration, I have now read the book. Don't miss it, it's probably rare that you get such an inspiring and virtuosic biography on these heavy subjects. I REALLY like the way the author weaves in her professional analysis and experiences."
- Marina Duell, MA, teacher Social Science, Branno, Sweden

"The author manages to reproduce personal experiences of domestic violence, into profound educational levels. Physical violence is carried out by the mother, and by the father on the mother's order. Psychological violence is constantly present. The author describes how as a child she coped with fear: "It hurts, but I turn off such feelings. Mom scares me into freezing, I stop breathing, just survive.” At an early age; thumb sucking, overconsumption of food, constipation and dissociation became consequences."
- Zelma Fors, PhD. Licensed Psychologist, Gothenburg, Sweden

"Outstanding, fascinating in its tragedy, a document that illuminates and explains. So much work done, not least on research. The author's high degree of self-disclosure together with professionalism, makes the content interesting, unique, and valuable. The author has succeeded in creating a bold and captivating depiction of how her becoming a mature human adult has been shaped."
- Börje Vickberg, dentist, author, Gislaved, Sweden

"Interesting mixture of experiences, observations, and references to the great thinkers of psychology. The descriptions made me think: "Of course - why haven't I understood this before?" Fascinating reading about the author's development, her ability to get through a very tumultuous upbringing, and how it influenced her later adult relationships."
- Bo Artelius, Social worker, Community Service manager, Gothenburg, Sweden

"Fascinating historical descriptions of the 50s and onwards. Personal experiences are inserted into a comprehensive interpretative framework. The book is nicely seasoned with subtle humour and valuable reflections on the personal meanings of words, metaphors, double messages and non-verbal communication; the whole spectrum of human communication. I was deeply moved by the epilogue."
- Stefan Fransson, MSc. Licensed psychologist, specialist clinical psychology, supervisor & teacher, Gothenburg, Sweden

"The book's stories span over generations and drill deep into the psychological. The author portrays the inner world and outer experiences of children and adults. She examines and describes, analytically and poetically, how the family can both shape and alienate a developing person."
- Stina Hindstrom, Licensed psychologist, specialist child & adolescents, Gothenburg, Sweden

"A strong portrayal of having grown up with an unstable mother. The author provides valuable knowledge by interjecting psychological explanations for traumatic phenomena in family. Through this, the book becomes an illustrative textbook, told through the adult child's painful memories."
- Lill Wennström, Licensed Psychologist & Licensed Psychotherapist, senior, Lund, Sweden

"Carolusson’s very personal and accessible exploration of her evolution and blossoming as a psychologist is a treasure. Combining autobiography with insight into human developments, her work fills a need in literature to model how, who we are, informs how we help others. This is a brave book from an internationally respected psychologist and teacher. As such, it encourages us. Bravo."
- Laurence I. Sugarman, MD., FAAP, ABMH. Research Professor Emeritus, College of Health Sciences and Technology, Rochester Institute of Technology.

"Reproducing the memory in the present tense,” Susanna Carolusson dares to dive with all of herself in the relationship with a tough mother and with a troubled family life. To face this emotional labyrinth, she uses an extraordinary level of attention and straightforward commitment that guide her to open all the closed doors and successfully uncover all the home's secret corners.The unusual and passionate dedication she puts into this difficult task allows her to develop along the way the best quality of an effective therapist: the intense and extensive awareness that permits both to her and her clients the freedom to influence their own destiny.This book is revealing for the general public that deserve to finally realize that therapists are first of all human beings. It is certainly beneficial for clients that often consider themselves miserable, while they continue to think about their therapist as a super-person who only encountered happy forms of life without any pain. It is a necessary book for the therapists that should learn that taking care of others' problems does not mean making believe they never had one.
And it is for me a profoundly teaching and touching book."
- Camillo Loriedo, M.D., Ph.D., Associate professor, family therapist, Rome, Italy