The Birth of an Adoptive, Foster or Stepmother Beyond Biological Mothering Attachments by Barbara Waterman, PhD

This course meets the qualifications for 8 hours of continuing education

Adoptive, foster and stepmothers, like biological mothers, find their lives completely changed by motherhood although they are not always granted the rights and privileges accorded to those who give birth. Barbara Waterman explores the common experiences that are shared by all those who enter the motherhood portal. She highlights the importance of wider family, community and professional support for non-biological parents and primary care-givers of both genders, and their children. A stepmother herself and a practicing psychologist, Waterman’s writing is illustrated throughout with vignettes of children and parents from a range of backgrounds. She shows the important ways in which a non-biological attachment is both more similar to and more different from a biological attachment than is currently understood. In doing this, Waterman broadens the notion of the ‘traditional’ family, and offers a positive alternative to the myth of the perfect mother. All kinds of step-, adoptive and foster families and those coming into contact with them will find this thoroughly researched and personal book an indispensable guide. Please join us in this 8 unit course.

Learning Objectives In this 8 unit course clinicians will: 1. Become aware of similarities and differences between biological and non-biological mothering attachments 2. Learn about the vicissitudes of entering the mothering portal through venues other than by giving birth 3. Become cognizant of not confounding unmourned losses on the part of the adopted, foster of stepchild with the notion that the child is incorrigible or defective 4. Differentiate between parental projections of unresolved infertility onto a child from parental efforts to metabolize a child’s projective identificatory communication about his/her losses of previous caretakers 5. Learn how to empower and contain the parents in step-, adoptive and foster families so the parents are supported in their bond-building efforts with their children. 6. Become aware of the landscape of so-called “non-traditional” families which are in fact demographically replacing the nuclear family. 7. Learn how to position themselves as part of the supporting matrix for those who choose to mother (whether men or women) non-biological children 8. Learn how to bear witness to the agonies and joys of the non-biological mothering journey so that parents are enabled to pause and reflect about the meaning of their and their children’s experience and behavior, rather than reacting in the heat of the moment. Who Should Attend

To receive credit students must register for the course (order on-line or call toll-free 888-777-3773), after which you will receive the Post-Test.  the cost of the course is $88, the book is an additional $24.95 +shipping and handling read The Birth of an Adoptive, Foster or Stepmother ISBN: 1843107244 Publisher: Jessica Kingsley Publishers Publication Date: 9/1/2003 Pages: 272 pages Buy it now from Amazon.com! Pass the post-test Upon passing the test, you will receive a certificate of completion

 

Table of Contents 1. When the Child is Delivered to You Rather than You Delivering the Child. 2. Cracked Wide Open. 3. Longing and Belonging. 4. Holding the Mirror; Holding Up the Ideal. 5. Love and Difference. 6. The Supporting Matrix. 7. Becoming a Mother. 8. Mothering as a Spiritual Commitment. 9. Conclusion. References. Index.

Barbara Waterman, Ph.D., earned her doctorate in Psychology and Social Relations from Harvard University in 1975. After working through not being able to conceive a child herself and several unsuccessful attempts to adopt, Dr. Waterman became a stepmother to twelve-year-old twin daughters over a decade ago. She has a private consultation and psychotherapy practice in Oakland, California. She is a Teaching Member of the International Society for Sandplay Therapy.

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This course counts as a 'regular' (not self-study) course by the CA BBS!

 

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We do adhere to the American Psychological Association's Ethical Principles of Psychologists. Our courses are carefully screened by the Planning Committee to adhere to APA standards. We also require authors who compose Internet courses specifically for us follow APA ethical standards. Many of our courses contain case material, and may use the methods of qualitative research and analysis, in-depth interviews and ethnographic studies. The psychotherapeutic techniques depicted may include play therapy, sandplay therapy, dream analysis, drawing analysis, client and therapist self-report, etc. The materials presented may be considered non-traditional and may be controversial, and may not have widespread endorsement within the profession. www.psychceu.com maintains responsibility for the program and its content.

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