Book Reviewed by:Tessa Ensler wants her mother. The heroine of Suzie Miller's Prima Facie is in a panicky mess after a sexual assault, and, like many of us when things go sideways, she wants her mother's arms wrapped around her. She wants her mother's acceptance and kindness. When she confides that she "had a bad experience" and has "been to the police to report it," her mother, referred to in the story simply as Mum, doesn't hesitate. She drops everything to be at Tessa's side.
In moments of trauma, an emotional safety net is critical to recovery. People need people, as the song says. Psychologists agree. Emotional safety comes from being loved. When dealing with stress, grief, and anxiety, we need to reach out to those who love us the most. We need their kindness and compassion. "We human beings are among the most defenseless and vulnerable creatures on the planet," Helene Brenner, Ph.D and Larry Letich, LCSW-C explain in an article for Psychology Today, "We have no claws, no sharp teeth, no ...
