roseatefelicity's review
2.0
As a Catholic, I can’t recommend this book. While it does have some eye-opening things, there were too many problematic ideas that go against the Catholic faith. I’m definitely not the target audience.
lory_enterenchanted's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
Reviews and more on my blog: Entering the Enchanted Castle
Wish I'd had access to these concepts before I became a mother myself, went through undiagnosed postpartum depression, and spent years feeling like a failure and blaming and judging myself for the harm done to my child through interrupted bonding. I hope that more people can heal from mother hunger through this work and cut the cycle short. It's still worth it to me to heal at this late stage, but the earlier the better.
I appreciate McDaniel's calm, soothing presentation and her emphasis on healing the injury rather than villainizing "toxic" mothers. One of the most important points is made at the end: in order to nurture, protect, and guide, mothers need nurturance, protection and guidance themselves, not only in childhood, but throughout life and especially in the vital stage of early motherhood. May this work come to be valued and supported in accord with its true worth, which is immeasurable. Our culture has a long way to go but at least there are some voices speaking up for the healing of the mother wound, which damages us all.
As with I Don't Want To Talk About It, I wish this was not so narrowly focused on one gender. Men suffer tremendously from mother hunger, and women from covert depression (the subject of the other book). In fact, I think that lack of nurturance often causes the covert depression. This is not a gendered issue, but a human issue and must be foregrounded in our quest for better health. I understand the desire to support women (or men) in particular, but the other side has to be addressed too, at some point.
I also wish there were not such a narrow focus on sexual issues. Girls don't just need protection and guidance in that realm, but in the whole gamut of emotional, intellectual, and spiritual development. This, too, really needs more attention.
Wish I'd had access to these concepts before I became a mother myself, went through undiagnosed postpartum depression, and spent years feeling like a failure and blaming and judging myself for the harm done to my child through interrupted bonding. I hope that more people can heal from mother hunger through this work and cut the cycle short. It's still worth it to me to heal at this late stage, but the earlier the better.
I appreciate McDaniel's calm, soothing presentation and her emphasis on healing the injury rather than villainizing "toxic" mothers. One of the most important points is made at the end: in order to nurture, protect, and guide, mothers need nurturance, protection and guidance themselves, not only in childhood, but throughout life and especially in the vital stage of early motherhood. May this work come to be valued and supported in accord with its true worth, which is immeasurable. Our culture has a long way to go but at least there are some voices speaking up for the healing of the mother wound, which damages us all.
As with I Don't Want To Talk About It, I wish this was not so narrowly focused on one gender. Men suffer tremendously from mother hunger, and women from covert depression (the subject of the other book). In fact, I think that lack of nurturance often causes the covert depression. This is not a gendered issue, but a human issue and must be foregrounded in our quest for better health. I understand the desire to support women (or men) in particular, but the other side has to be addressed too, at some point.
I also wish there were not such a narrow focus on sexual issues. Girls don't just need protection and guidance in that realm, but in the whole gamut of emotional, intellectual, and spiritual development. This, too, really needs more attention.
missphoebs's review
5.0
found out about this after hearing mcdaniel on a podcast and i was so fascinated by her research and the idea of "mother hunger." this posed a lot of thought provoking questions for me and i think that no matter what your relationship with your mother is like, you can find some chapter or concept in this to be applicable and offer further personal understanding. kelly mcdaniel has one of those soothing voices that's easy to fall asleep to, so i'd recommend reading a physical copy along with the audiobook as i did find myself zoning out at some points. definitely going to reread at some point. also, the title!!
ssquish's review
3.0
•*~~3 stars to any therapy book where the author isn’t giving pretty much all their money to initiatives for people who can’t afford the therapeutic treatments they suggest ~~*•
This book connected a couple more things to my attachment issues specifically to my mother so if you have issues with your mom I’d suggest it.
I appreciated the science behind attachment. It went into a depth between mother and baby that I hadn’t read about before. The author touched on patriarchy (which would be better described as colonial beliefs anyway) and the way women participate in it, and I really appreciate that, but I always will critique and say how you should’ve mentioned specifically how you’re talking about *white* women, and how whiteness affects whites womenhood. You could literally just replace it when she used the word patriarchy. She even used a metaphor that was invented by the civil rights movement and switched it to patriarchy instead.
I will try the things that were suggested that I have access to but 60% of it reeked of rich people shit.
This book connected a couple more things to my attachment issues specifically to my mother so if you have issues with your mom I’d suggest it.
I appreciated the science behind attachment. It went into a depth between mother and baby that I hadn’t read about before. The author touched on patriarchy (which would be better described as colonial beliefs anyway) and the way women participate in it, and I really appreciate that, but I always will critique and say how you should’ve mentioned specifically how you’re talking about *white* women, and how whiteness affects whites womenhood. You could literally just replace it when she used the word patriarchy. She even used a metaphor that was invented by the civil rights movement and switched it to patriarchy instead.
I will try the things that were suggested that I have access to but 60% of it reeked of rich people shit.
bookstackreviews's review
5.0
Inside each of us is a hunger for our mother and when that hunger cannot be satisfied, we find other ways to fill it. This is the main thread of Mother Hunger, but the book also takes a deep look at attachment styles and the way identifying Mother Hunger leads to healing our mind, body and soul.
There are a handful of non-fiction books that are monoliths in my life. There is a great sense of knowing that I will look back at my past and remember my life before a significantly impactful book came into it, and compare this time, with the "after" of having the knowledge and information of that book in my life. Mother Hunger is definitely one of those books for me.
This book was originally recommended by my therapist when I was trying to describe this unknown need for something in my life. She knew I was talking about Mother Hunger but I didn't know it yet. The freedom and healing that comes from the valedation of how this feeling and ache without a name has haunted my life was immediate. I feel less crazy after having read this book and I feel like I have a name for what needs healing in my life.
Mother Hunger is a beautiful gift for women everywhere and i am excited to re-gift the reading experience of this book to myself again and again.
There are a handful of non-fiction books that are monoliths in my life. There is a great sense of knowing that I will look back at my past and remember my life before a significantly impactful book came into it, and compare this time, with the "after" of having the knowledge and information of that book in my life. Mother Hunger is definitely one of those books for me.
This book was originally recommended by my therapist when I was trying to describe this unknown need for something in my life. She knew I was talking about Mother Hunger but I didn't know it yet. The freedom and healing that comes from the valedation of how this feeling and ache without a name has haunted my life was immediate. I feel less crazy after having read this book and I feel like I have a name for what needs healing in my life.
Mother Hunger is a beautiful gift for women everywhere and i am excited to re-gift the reading experience of this book to myself again and again.
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