In the popular imagination, motherhood is supposed to evoke fresh-faced kisses, moments of sweet connection, and indescribably powerful feelings of love and devotion. But motherhood can also mean laser-hot rage and feelings of powerlessness and frustration. Mothering is a job with awesome responsibilities, very low pay, and not a lot of respect or support. It's work that can push women to their limits, and a more-than-full-time job that demands they be on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for year after year. In fact, depression is such a normal occurrence in new mothers that the American Psychological Association identifies being a young mother as an independent risk factor for depression. For some, depression is a condition that begins with a case of postpartum blues and drags on, unacknowledged, into a child's teens. For others, often the most motivated, unrelenting stress builds into a state of total exhaustion and burnout when the basic support and encouragement that could get life back on track go unasked for and never quite materialize. In The Hidden Feelings of Motherhood, a psychologist and postpartum depression expert takes on the dark side of being a mother and helps mothers come to terms with negative feelings and learn how to cope more effectively. She explores the often unspoken factors that lead to stress, depression, and burnout, and covers coming to terms with a negative birth experience, postpartum depression, loss of intimacy with a partner, anger, and feeling trapped. Chapters on alternative work options outside the home and housework offer a variety of thoughtful suggestions to help make the burden of the "second shift" less draining. Additional chapters cover the special challenges of mothers who are survivors of child abuse, mothering after loss of child, and parenting fussy, difficult, or differently abled children.
Kathleen Kendall-Tackett, Ph.D., IBCLC, FAPA is a health psychologist and an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, and owner/editor-in-chief of Praeclarus Press, a small press specializing in women's health. She is a Clinical Associate Professor of Pediatrics at Texas Tech University School of Medicine in Amarillo, Texas, and Research Associate at the Crimes against Children Research Center at the University of New Hampshire. Dr. Kendall-Tackett is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association in both the Divisions of Health and Trauma Psychology, Associate Editor of the journal Psychological Trauma, and Editor-in-Chief of Clinical Lactation. She is author of more than 310 journal articles, book chapters and other publications, and author or editor of 21 books in the fields of trauma, women's health, depression, and breastfeeding, including Depression in New Mothers, 2nd Edition (2010, Routledge), and Breastfeeding Made Simple, 2nd Edition (2010, New Harbinger, co-authored with Nancy Mohrbacher).
Dr. Kendall-Tackett received a Bachelor's and Master's degree in psychology from California State University, Chico, and a Ph.D. from Brandeis University in social and developmental psychology. She has won several awards including the Outstanding Research Study Award from the American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children, and Distinguished Alumna, College of Behavioral and Social Sciences, California State University, Chico. In 2011, she received the John Kennell & Marshall Klaus Award for Excellence in Research from DONA International (with co-recipient Thomas Hale),and the Community Faculty Award from the Department of Pediatrics, Texas Tech University School of Medicine. Her websites are UppityScienceChick.com, BreastfeedingMadeSimple.com, KathleenKendall-Tackett.com, and PraeclarusPress.com.
