Having it All?

About the author. Acknowledgements. Introduction: Who should read this book, and why? 1 Making Choices. Choices for todaya s Superwoman. Todaya s Superwoman. Identifying the pressures: what we want, what we dona t want. Exposing the myth of Superwoman. Being true to yourself: making your own choices. 2 The Superwoman Syndrome. The heart of womena s psychology? Historical background. Womena s minds and womena s lives. Who is a Superwoman? The history of todaya s Superwoman. a Superwoman Quits!!!a -- reasoned withdrawal or backlash politics? The heart and mind of Superwoman. What women want. Controlling womena s bodies and minds. Superwoman rising from the ashes. Conclusions. 3 Psychological survival and managing your a self a . The psychodynamic approach. Presenting your self. Choice and preference: clues to our self--awareness. What do we need? What do we want? Fulfilment and health. Self--actualisation and psychological type. Superwomen, choices and having it all. I know who I am. What have feelings got to do with it? Mind the gap! Self--fulfilment and the emergence of our personal Superwoman. What others do to you. Being confident in adversity. Conclusions. 4 Myth, magic or just hard work. What type of Superwoman are you?: Are you sure you should be doing this? Describing Superwoman. Real and false choices. Beware of the false self. The real self: understanding our drives. What about Superwoman? What kind of Superwoman are you? But really -- who are you? 5 The rise of Superwoman From fear of success to emotional intelligence Womena s motives at work. Fear of success: the myth of the passive woman? Femininity and passivity: womena s natural self? Different bodies, different minds. Freud and femininity. Biology, genes, brains and gender. From different psychologies to better psychologies. Emotional intelligence and female natures: are we the winners now? Emotional competence. Conclusions. 6 It is still a mana s world! Having it all at work: Having it all -- at work. Real womena s lives. Conflicts at work: challenges to having it all. Beware of hazards. Mapping the territory. Barriers to success and the downfall of a Queen Bee. Overcoming internal barriers. Overcoming external barriers. Conclusions. 7 Motherhood versus the glittering career. Coping with the backlash Lifestyle choices for Superwoman. Expectations versus reality: what do you do when the baby arrives? You can still find a pathway to success! The emancipation of mothers: an oxymoron! The role of fathers in the lifestyle choice. Superwoman and the backlash against feminism. Conclusions: You dona t need to do it all and you dona t need to lose it all! 8 Coping with stress. Superwoman says a no!a Juggle dona t struggle! Stress and Superwoman. Recognising stress in our lives. How to cope with stress. Breaking the stress/burn--out cycle? Assertiveness -- saying a noa . Conclusions. 9 Challenging choices. Working with what youa ve got!: So who has problems now? Women joining in. Choices for todaya s Superwoman. Further information. Notes and references. Index.

"!If you feel that you are about to make choices or are unhappy with your day--to--day life, then read Paula Nicolsona s book!" (familyonwards.com, 24 October 2002) "...offers particularly reassuring advice...", January 2003) "!Easy to read and reassuring, keep it handy for when you have to make decisions about home--life versus career!" (Rollercoaster.ie -- Competition, 17 January 2003)