The stepmother in fairy tales : bereavement and the feminine shadow

This dramatic retelling of four tales - The Loathsome Dragon, Snow White, Hansel and Gretel, and Cinderella - explores the impact of loss and grief on the ethos of the Stepmother and of the families she inhabits. By understanding these tales from the Stepmother's perspective, we can build an empathetic connection to her, acknowledge her in our lives, and invite her into consciousness. This integrating, redeeming process leads to the discovery that the Stepmother archetype has significance not only for understanding child abuse and the psychology of bereavement, but also for individual and family healing. Jacqueline Schectman has worked as a Jungian analyst and psychiatric social worker for over twenty years. She has a family practice which includes both adults and children, and is on the faculty of the C.G. Jung Institute in Boston.