Violence &Pregnancy: A Whole-Self Psychology Perspective

This paper focuses on violence as pathology occurring primarily during
pregnancy and explains the resulting impact on one’s life. It addresses this specific theme, and does not include
the violence found in some medical birth procedures, or violence generated by gender. This paper is based
upon a presentation by the authors in March 2001, at the OMAEP [World Organization of Prenatal Education]
&ANEP [Association of National Prenatal Education] Congress in Puerto la Cruz, Venezuela. entitled “Violence
&Pregnancy.” This congress brought together leading experts from South and North America, and Europe.
KEY WORDS: violence, consciousness, attachment and bonding, mother/child attunement.