The Absent Father Effect Workshop

The Friday night lecture focused on the bleaker side of daughters and fathers’ relationship in order to shed light on the lack, symptoms and problems, as well as the repair and hope. 

The workshop this afternoon will illuminate in more detail, through a fairy tale and through discussion, how identification with or ignorance of the absent father effect has serious ramifications. Because she does not appear in his vision, the daughter receives no reflection from him and this can impede development. When there is no father, a daughter is left wondering about her value, if she is worthy of love to herself and others. She retains a hole in her heart, the threads of her personality ruptured. His absence leads to question how a father dreams of his daughter. What does he wish for her? When absent, he has not realized her needs for good attachment or how he can damage and limit growth. 

Both lecture and workshop apply to everyone as the aspects of fathers and daughters are internal figures, appearing in dreams and relationships. The effect of being trapped in a complex of absence and lack saps energy and depletes the person and culture. Participants will have opportunities to explore ways to repair the missing pieces. 

ABOUT THE SPEAKER

Susan E. Schwartz, Ph.D., Jungian analyst and clinical psychologist is a member the International Association of Analytical Psychology. She has taught in numerous Jungian programs and presented workshops and lectures in the USA and many other countries. 

Susan has articles in several journals and chapters in books on Jungian analytical psychology. She has a book published by Routledge in 2020 entitled, The Absent Father Effect on Daughters, Father Desire, Father Wounds. Her analytical private practice is in Paradise Valley, Arizona, USA and her website is www.susanschwartzphd.com