My life's work as a physician, psychiatrist, and alternative healer has been the investigation of social oppression, and how to block or reverse its effects. As a writer, I have created a series of books, therapies, and biotechnologies with this specific goal in mind, united under the series name: Freedom from Social Oppression. "
Individuation
" is the
third
of four anthologies, or collection of narrative pieces, from my first book: "Hide and Play Dead." The organizing theme for this anthology is
adult identity formation
-and its corollary,
individuation
. As in the original book, these true stories about my life history and ancestry are vivid, emotionally provocative, and unforgettable. They have been perceived as brilliant journalistic and social exposés, which are pregnant with meaning and, ultimately, uplifting. To compose an anthology comprised of mostly previously published narratives and essays allows me, as an author, to transmit focused messages that are oftentimes lost in the original works. Along with these messages come distinct feeling tones, as the written word is filtered through the refractive prism of a distinct voice and laser-honed topic. The challenge of forming a unique adult identity is very complicated, and it is the primary focus of most psychotherapy in America today. We inhabit a culture where shame, abuse, and trauma permeate all our major institutions-especially our childrearing and educational practices. The belief that one's child is one's possession, given to us to mold and fashion to our liking, or to our own self-image, must be challenged. The prevalence of Narcissism is climbing exponentially among Americans, and it is insidious and rampant. This, among other factors, endangers the freedom of our youth to establish a unique and creative Self. The other anthologies in this series center on the topics of establishing one's
racial, sexual
, and
spiritual
identity.