Mothering Ourselves

This one-sided study of mother-daughter relations, intended to help daughters uncover their ``mother-wounds,'' is based on the premise that mothers are the chief cause of their daughters' problems. University of Colorado psychology professor and psychotherapist Bassoff ( Mothers and Daughters ) draws on examples from her own experiences and those of patients, and from literature and myths of daughters dominated, overprotected, ignored or rejected by their mothers. Except for warnings against sexual abuse, fathers and their impact on daughters are only briefly mentioned. However emotionally deprived they may be, daughters, the author maintains in a self-help guide that states the obvious, can learn to nurture or ``mother'' themselves through positive relationships with others, contact with nature and creative activity of various kinds. (Jan.)