Three Faces of Mourning

Salman Akhtar M.D., is professor of psychiatry at Jefferson Medical College, lecturer on Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, and training and supervising analyst at the Psychoanalytic Center of Philadelphia. His more than 175 scientific publications also include eighteen edited or co-edited books. Dr. Akhtar is the recipient of the Journal of the American Psychoanalytic Association's Award (1995), the Margaret Mahler Literature Prize (1996), ASPP's Sigmund Freud Award (2000), and the Edith Sabshin Award of the American Psychoanalytic Association (2000).

No subject is more universal to life and the human condition than object loss and mourning. It cuts across theoretical boundaries and is addressed by virtually all psychologies, religions, and culture. In this timely and superbly edited volume, the authors weave a sophisticated Mahlerian understanding into their rich clinical material. Incorporating this unique developmental perspective throughout the life cycle of both men and women, from early childhood into mature adulthood, it advances our understanding of the mourning process. This book is a necessary contribution to the literature and will greatly enhance the clinician's ability to handle any patient who suffers from loss.