From the bestselling author of Necessary Journeys--here is the book every mother of a maturing girl will need to have on her shelf."Just as we once peered over the crib rails to search our newborn daughters' faces for signs of personality or family resemblance, so too, during the years of adolescence, mother and daughter alike will look into the mirror of each other's faces, searching for hints of their past and future selves, of resemblance and connection, as part of a journey of self discovery . . ." --excerpt from Girl in the Mirror Drawing on the latest research and interviews with experts in different fields, Girl in the Mirror sheds new light on one of life's most important passages, the journey that is adolescence. Unlike other books, Girl in the Mirror focuses on the interaction between mother and daughter during this decade-long process, and illuminates how both the mother and her understanding of her parental role need to evolve and change as her child enters a new and crucial phase of emotional and psychic growth. A recognized authority in the field of women's health, Dr. Snyderman lays to rest some of the myths about adolescence, among them: "raging" hormones and inevitable rebellionthe meaning of adolescent "autonomy"the adolescent girl's need for "separation" from her motherthe negative role of peer influences Filled with practical wisdom and stories drawn not only from her experience with her own two adolescent daughters but those of other mothers from around the country, Girl in the Mirror offers readers a new vision: To see the years of adolescence as a time not of conflict but of opportunity for personal and spiritual growth for mothers and daughters alike.

An exploration of the darker side of maternal behavior drawn from scientific research, psychology, and the real-life experiences of adult daughters, Mean Mothers sheds light on one of the last cultural taboos: what happens when a woman doesn't or can't love her daughter.

Mean Mothers reveals the multigenerational thread that often runs through these stories--many unloving mothers are the daughters of unloving or hypercritical women--and explores what happens to a daughter's sense of self and to her relationships when her mother is emotionally absent or even cruel. But Mean Mothers is also a narrative of hope, recounting how daughters can get past the legacy of hurt to become whole within and to become loving mothers to the next generation of daughters. The personal stories of unloved daughters and sons and those of the author herself, are both unflinching and moving, and bring this most difficult of subjects to life.

Mean Mothers isn't just a book for daughters who've had difficult or impossible relationships with their mothers. By exposing the myths of motherhood that prevent us from talking about the women for whom mothering a daughter is fraught with ambivalence, tension, or even jealousy, Mean Mothers also casts a different light on the extraordinary influence mothers have over their female children as well as the psychological complexity and emotional depth of the mother-daughter relationship.

We have a natural tendency to see the best in things, to put a positive spin on situations and to err on the side of optimistic - we are a nation of wishful thinkers. We are hard-wired to believe that if at first you don't succeed, try and try again. But hanging in there at all costs, and persisting no matter how many setbacks you face, is actually unhealthy and unbalanced. Give Up to Get On explains why quitting done right can be an act of self-assertion, a source of potential empowerment and a doorway to new possibilities.The most satisfied people know both how to persist and how to quit . They are flexible and adaptive to change. They know when to let go of unattainable goals and move on. And when they do quit, they do so decisively - and set new goals without looking back. Give Up to Get On will teach you how to make quitting a thoughtful and intelligent decision, which will take you out of dead-end jobs, doomed relationships, and flailing careers.

Find out why the happiest, most successful people have the ability both to persist and to quitDo you believe that "winners never quit and quitters never win"? Do you tend to hang in longer than you should, even when you're unhappy? Our culture usually defines quitting as admitting defeat, but persistence isn't always the answer: When a goal is no longer useful, we need to be able to quit to get the most out of life. In Quitting , bestselling author Peg Streep and psychotherapist Alan Bernstein reveal simple truths that apply to goal setting and achievement in all areas of life, including work, love, and relationships:Without the ability to give up, most people will end up in a discouraging loop.Quitting is a healthy, adaptive response when a goal can't be reached.Quitting permits growth and learning, as well as the ability to frame new goals.Featuring compelling stories of people who successfully quit, along with helpful questionnaires and goal maps to guide you on the right path, Quitting will help you evaluate whether your goals are working for or against you, and whether you need to let go in order to start anew.