Shame and gay/lesbian issues

• shame and gay/lesbian research by Marty M, 2/4/98
  
  

Hello, Marty,

Glad to hear you have found something that resonates. That seems to be an experience many of us have, upon running into the work of Silvan Tomkins on affect and script.

I encourage you to join the Tomkins Institute immediately, and become part of the e-mail list-serve for members, Tomkins Talk. We recently had a wonderful discussion there on exactly the issues you are interested in. Several of our members (Alex Bruzzone, Mel Hill) have more knowledge than I do, and I look forward to hearing from them here, also.

When you join, ask to see back issues of the Bulletin of the Tomkins Institute, because there are a couple of things you should see. I recommend all of the articles From the Executive Director; therein lies a summary of these difficult theories.

In the Bulletin spring-summer 1996, there were two book reviews of the book "Coming Out of Shame: Transforming Gay and Lesbian Lives" by Gershon Kaufman, PhD and Lev Raphael, PhD. (New York: Doubleday, 1996.) The reviews were by Lawrence Kashi and Melvyn Hill, PhD. I think you will find them, and the book, of great interest. I cannot encourage you strongly enough to read "Shame and Pride: Affect, Sex and the Birth of the Self", by Don Nathanson. (Norton, 1992.)

Best wishes on your research and continued study. Welcome aboard!

Sue Deppe, MD Book Review Editor, Bulletin of the Tomkins Institute

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