| A few times in my life, someone has taken a quick | | | | Dr. Ackerman separates the book into four parts: |
| look at me and been able to tell me about myself or a | | | | Part One: An exploration of childhood for one raised |
| little bit about who I am or what I've been through. | | | | by an alcoholic parent |
| Some people have that gift. Whether they are | | | | In this section, Dr. Ackerman addresses the |
| psychologists, tarot readers, or some old lady in the | | | | differences in parental gender and its affect on the |
| grocery store line, they are able to see something in | | | | child. It is often felt that being the child of an alcoholic |
| my eyes that tells my entire story - in a language only | | | | mother is extremely different than being one of an |
| they understand. | | | | alcoholic father. |
| This sort of deep fundamental analysis of my psyche | | | | Part Two: An exploration of yourself and your |
| has rarely happened outside of interpersonal contact. | | | | behaviors |
| However, when I first read Perfect Daughters, by Dr. | | | | Why are you who you are? Where do these patterns |
| Robert J. Ackerman, I felt like he was one of those | | | | - both negative and positive - emerge? How have you |
| people who could look inside me, but adding to the | | | | managed to cope with the issues in your past and |
| complexity, was the fact that it was through the pages | | | | present? |
| of a book. | | | | Part Three: Exploration of past and present behaviors |
| The book is written on the subject of adult daughters | | | | and accepting them |
| of alcoholics. Though published in 1989, the book's core | | | | Dr. Ackerman explores the opinions of the adult |
| values and principals still apply in today's | | | | daughters on relationships, parenting, parental issues |
| alcoholic-ridden society. Millions of women have grown | | | | and addictions. Every woman may not have |
| up under the care of alcoholics developing certain | | | | addressed every issue, but there was at least one |
| traits, repeating certain patterns, not really sure why | | | | woman to exemplify every issue. |
| they have become the person they have. | | | | Part Four: Exploration of discovering and recovering |
| Perfect Daughters attempts to explain the | | | | This section is about finding the strength and beauty |
| characteristics of an adult daughter of an alcoholic. For | | | | within. Learning to accept those parts of yourself you |
| this book, he studied more than 1200 women who | | | | cherish and discard or change those parts that are |
| grew up in alcoholic families in order to substantiate | | | | harmful. |
| that there is in fact a distinct difference between them | | | | David is the owner of Rehabilitation Help, and Alcholol |
| and those who did not grow up in an alcoholic family. | | | | Rehabilitation websites. David provides great |
| The book is geared towards recovery, since no two | | | | resources for people seeking information regarding |
| women could have possible lived the same lives and | | | | these subjects. |
| endured the same heartache. | | | | |