Why Love Matters - Sue Gerhardt

Why Love Matters. How affection shapes a baby's brain. What's love got to do with it?
'A really useful briefing on the new neuroscience and its underpinning of the central tennet of contemporary psychoanalysis: how actual relationships form us and are central to therapeutic endeavous and, even more importantly, how important loving relationships are crucial to our capacity to be human.' Susie Orbach

'A wonderful book full of research that connects the nature v. nurture argument, explaining how sensitivity to a baby's needs - and a caring response - can actually affect how a baby's nervous system develops scientifically. I would recommend it to all new parents.' Virginia Ironside

'This humane, wise book which makes complexities simple to understand should be read by everyone concerned with the care of children.' Dorothy Rowe, psychologist and writer.

'Why Love Matters is hugely important. It should be mandatory reading for all parents, teachers and politicians.' Rebecca Abrams, The Guardian.


Why Love Matters explains why love is essential to brain development in the early years of life, and how early interactions between babies and their parents have lasting and serious consequences.
Sue Gerhardt explores how the earliest relationship shapes the baby's nervous system. She shows how the development of the brain can affect future emotional well being, and goes on to look at specific 'pathways' that can affect the way we repond to stress and can contribute to conditions such as anorexia, addiction, and anti-social behaviour.
Why Love Matters is a lively and accessible interpretation of the largest findings in neuro-science, psychology, psychoanalysis and biochemistry. It is invaluable reading for parents and professional alike.
Sue Gerhardt is a psychoanalytic psychotherapist in private practice. She was a co-founder of the Oxford Parent Infant Project (OXPIP), a pioneering charity that provides psychotherapeutic help to parents with their babies.