Introduction
Andy Cohen
Letters
1. Sergio Eduardo Nick
2. Michael Benn
3. Harriet Wolfe
4. Carol Richards
5. Gohar Homayounpour
6. Florencia Biotti
7. Kristen Miller Beesley
8. Heribert Blass
9. Maria Lival-Juusela
10. Ntshediseng Tlooko
11. Daniel Jacobs
12. Kateryna Alpatova
13. Arthur Leonoff
14. Ashis Roy
15. Liliana Castro
16. Barbara Stimmel
17. Joan Raphael-Leff
18. Johanna Velt
19. Stefano Bolognini
20. Alan Sugarman
21. Martina Griller-Mushel
22. Patricia Harte Bratt
23. Katy Bogliatto
24. Lauren Segal
25. Michael J. Diamond
26. Corinne Masur
27. Gaetano Pellegrini
28. Fred Busch
29. Cecilia Caruana
30. Eike Hinze
31. Claudia Sheftel-Luiz
32. Susan Mailer
33. Giovanni Foresti
34. Ines Bayona
35. Mariano Ruperthuz Honorato
36. Deborah Ashdown
37. David R. Dietrich
38. Theodore Jacobs
39. Warren Poland
Biography
Andy Cohen is a psychotherapist and candidate psychoanalyst with the South African Psychoanalytical Association (SAPA). Andy is passionate about making psychoanalytic thinking more accessible, seen in her TEDx Talk, "A Mom Can’t Always Act Like a Grown-Up – Here’s Why", which explores the unconscious forces between parent and child. She holds an MA Fine Art and is also trained as a community art counsellor at Lefika La Phodiso, an NGO providing art-based psychodynamic mental health services to at-risk communities. She currently lives and works in Johannesburg, South Africa.
"This collection of 39 letters is as unique as its creator/editor, who conceived of a way for psychoanalysis to reach out and touch parents in order to enable them to comprehend what makes parenting so perplexing at times and how it may well become the most exciting adventure that life has in store, one that becomes rewarding in ways one might never have imagined. Upon reading her Introduction, I sensed Andy Cohen is one who understands from experience how psychoanalysis works, and is one who has a talent for communicating her understanding in plain English. Her conception has lead to the birth of this extraordinary collection of letters from parents around the globe. These authors are moms and dads that have themselves been analysed during their training to become psychoanalysts. Cohen urges each reader to 'dream their way through these letters' that speak to each writer’s experiences of failure and success in navigating the fascinating minefield that is parenthood. I am convinced that this book should be on the shelf of every prospective or present-day parent and may well lead to their own emotional and mental development, as well as that of the children".
Judith L. Mitrani, PhD, FIPA, Psychoanalyst, author and novelist
"As a broadcaster and founder of 'Baby Brunch' a parenting support podcast, I engage in many enriching conversations. In nearly all these exchanges, I find that people either use their talents to help others or draw from personal experiences to do so. Andy Cohen is one such person, offering both. While countless books have been written on this subject – and I've had numerous interviews about it – never before have I felt such a deep sense of connection with stories that resonate so closely with my own. Andy’s book captivated me for days. It encouraged me to approach my own parenting challenges with more care, thanks to the wisdom shared in these heartfelt letters. While I thought I knew a lot about parenting – as a stepmother of two and mother of four – this book reframed parenting for me: It reminded me that the feelings we go through are valid and surmountable, allowing us to better understand ourselves and evolve into the parents we are meant to be. The deeply personal stories from these leading international experts will engage, inspire, and ground you. It’s a powerful journey that brings joy and enlightenment, and ultimately, a true rebirth for every parent".
Elana Afrika-Bredenkamp, Radio personality and host of South Africa’s leading parenting podcast
