ABSTRACT
In this chapter, the author presents her theory of the woman’s “internal triangle,” a psychic structure based on the parents as self-objects. She illuminates her theory with case examples that illustrate how the triangle plays out in relation to pregnancy, childbirth, and early motherhood and describes ways in which integration of the internal triangle occurs throughout a woman’s lifetime. She also addresses the Freudian notion of penis envy and female empowerment and makes an argument that masculine and feminine qualities are equally necessary to move the world forward. An integration of the masculine and feminine in every individual is a characteristic of good mental health.
