Chapter 5, Part 2 Summary and Analysis

Haley writes of one case in which a woman was directly threatened with death by her husband over the gender of their baby. The therapist was ignorant in matters of baby gender prediction, but he did recommend divorce to avert disaster. In the other sort of case, the therapist often encourages dissent within a couple. As long as they are able to remain civil and reasonably safe and sane in their fighting, Erickson strongly approved of it, with one condition. This condition was that they seek to genuinely resolve the difference or disagreement in a conclusive and definitive manner. Here he shows some faith in the belief in letting nature run her course.

Haley writes about a case in which a wealthy woman had to be tranced into more full awareness of her feelings of acceptance during her childhood...