ABSTRACT
Yet, for many children-those abused and maltreated-the journey is often quite encumbered and compromised from the outset. The birth of the child, born to abusive and maltreating parents, often finds him or her revis-iting a very different terrain than that experienced by parents previously referenced. The parents of abused and maltreated children have often been abused-not always-but more often than not; this is a sad reality and the experience of becoming a parent often evokes an array of unpleasant and frightening memories, associations, and dissociated material that suddenly comes to the foreground. Instead of providing a beacon or informative guiding light wherein the new parent or parents appreciate the uniqueness of the situation
and welcome the opportunity to create a special crucible and chance to provide what was denied them, the opposite frequently transpires. Parenting sees a blurring of boundaries between self and other, the here and now, and the there and then, and the situation sees abuse, maltreatment, and neglect emerging as the traumatized and abused child (now the parent) revisits old, familiar, and frightening ground, thus activating a sordid, repetitive, and destructive cycle wherein abuse and maltreatment define the parent’s attempt to flee, once again, the terror that enveloped them so long ago.
