If the Shoe Fits, Wear It? Working Through the Cinderella Complex.

  • Published In: Psychoanalytic Review, 2025, v. 112, n. 4. P. 381 1 of 3

  • Database: Academic Search Ultimate 2 of 3

  • Authored By: Sherman, Suzan 3 of 3

Abstract

The premise of Colette Dowling's The Cinderella Complex was a scalding one when it was first published in 1981, but the book struck a deep chord and became an instant bestseller. Nowadays the "Cinderella Complex" might seem like a dated concept, but it remains strikingly relevant for two of my patients. Both hold deeply entrenched Cinderella fantasies that arose from having served as narcissistic extensions. Through exploring and reconsidering various versions of the fairytale that parallel my patients' own histories, I attempt to work through their deep sense of emotional impoverishment, from which they might only be rescued by a more powerful other. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Additional Information

  • Source:Psychoanalytic Review. 2025/12, Vol. 112, Issue 4, p381
  • Document Type:Article
  • Subject Area:Literature and Writing
  • Publication Date:2025
  • ISSN:0033-2836
  • DOI:10.1521/prev.2025.112.4.381
  • Accession Number:190435281
  • Copyright Statement:Copyright of Psychoanalytic Review is the property of Guilford Publications Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

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