Taming Your Outer Child: A Revolutionary Program to Overcome Self-Defeating Patterns and Reach Your Goals

With more than 30 years experience working with victims of trauma, abandonment, grief, and loss, psychotherapist Anderson (Black Swan: The Twelve Lessons of Abandonment Recovery) continues her private practice in Manhattan and on Long Island. A decade ago, she introduced her Outer Child concept, which, as she defines it, is an outward manifestation of your emotional self. Since fear of abandonment is "the crux of the human condition," she explains how to redirect "fear and insecurity seeping out of your oldest wounds." "Abandoholism," she notes, "wins the hit parade on my website." With a program designed to undo primal fears, she tackles such topics as lowered self-esteem, lovesick feelings, food urges, diet, chronic depression, procrastination, heartache, and a primary source of conflict with relationships, "enormous emotional suction cups." She also examines brain activity and factors preventing the body's production of such "yummy neurochemicals" as oxytocin and vasopressin. While readers under stress who are desperate for help will view this book as a valuable tool for healing, others may be put off by some of the jargon-filled passages. (Jan. 25)