Altered Dreams...: Living with Gender Disappointment [Paperback]

MA, Katherine Asbery (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 15, 2008

Hearing "It's a BOY!" should have brought me great joy, but instead, it brought me months of anger and denial as well as a lot of sadness and shame at times. I wanted to experience raising a daughter as well as my sons. What did I do so wrong that I was not allowed to parent both genders? Why was I denied this life experience? How did I suddenly become the brunt of many jokes and strange looks just because I had the privilege to be raising only sons? Altered Dreams is an inspirational writing for parents who may be experiencing disappointment in the gender of their unborn child. Through my years both as a mother and a psychologist, this issue of gender disappointment has come up over and over. Yet, no one wants to write or talk about it where we can all come together on even ground. Gender disappointment has psychological impact on all facets of one's life. As I share my journey, and those of others, from despair to acceptance after the birth of my third son, you will realize that you are not alone in this way of thinking or feeling. What you feel is real, and there are ways to handle your disappointment effectively. Most importantly, you will realize you no longer have to suffer alone.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Katherine Asbery has a Master's Degree in Clinical Psychology. She has had several professional articles published as well as many personal poems. Mrs. Asbery was also a contributing author in connection with the magazine SPIRIT, writing articles on parenting and inspirational issues.

Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: AuthorHouse (December 15, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1438935455
• ISBN-13: 978-1438935454
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #460,995 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It's About Time!!, January 15, 2009

By 

momofgators (Winter Park, FL United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Altered Dreams...: Living with Gender Disappointment (Paperback)

Coming from someone who has suffered gender disappointment I am so pleased that Ms. Asbery has written this wonderful book. She has finally allowed so many of us to discuss this topic without feeling guilty for our feelings.

She shares with us the readers her personal journey dealing with gender disappointment and how she has learned to live her life with her amazing 3 boys!! She also allows us to "meet" many other women who have battled with this as well. Reading this book made me feel like I was not alone in this. Many people suffer with this everyday but do not speak about it or get help to work through it. I truely think this book will help countless women as they come to grips with their feelings on this topic.

5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Thank you for writing this book, June 8, 2009

By 

Annie "Annie" (Lake Placid, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Altered Dreams...: Living with Gender Disappointment (Paperback)

Thank you so much for writing this book about this issue that so many are unwilling to face. I love my three boys...but I had issues to work through when the third was confirmed to be of the male gender. Your book validated my feelings and helped me so much.

6 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Ignore Ben's Insipid Review and read this book!, November 30, 2009

By 

Stephanie D. Lewis "Author of Lullabies & Ali... (San Diego, California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Altered Dreams...: Living with Gender Disappointment (Paperback)

I am pleased to have just read the Associated Press article released about Ms. Asbery and gender disappointment after having read her informative and sensitive book on the same subject. The reviewer who spouted off without thinking is obviously one of the many people in our society who do not understand the real pain and anguish that can be associated with having gone through this experience. Bravo to Ms. Asbery for bringing the subject to light so more women will not feel so alone. I had hoped to do the same with my own Novel,(based on the circumstances of being guaranteed that I was carrying a baby girl after not one, not two but THREE different sonographers and doctors told me so after viewing my ultrasound only to have a delivery room shock). The experience was harrowing to say the least when nobody around me understood my sorrow at the loss of a dream that was very real in my head. There is currently a very negative article about me and this subject in Elle magazine (where I was misquoted and further falsehoods were perpetrated) and because of that, I was just the subject of a radio talk show in which the hosts termed me "selfish, psychotic and an unfit mother." This is a very misunderstood issue (WE LOVE AND ADORE ALL OF OUR CHILDREN EQUALLY!) and I am sure MANY women are grateful to have it addressed in the effective manner that Ms. Asbery does in Altered Dreams.