On the last day of a New Zealand Multiple Birth Association conference, I chaired a panel of adult twins who volunteered their time to answer questions posed by moms of younger twins. Many of the questions presented to the panel addressed issues about twins being compared, their individuality, and the importance of knowing who is older. It was interesting that the twins who introduced themselves all remarked if they were the older one! The panel members seemed to agree that […]
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Tamba’s Individuality Factsheet
I am pleased to share this individuality factsheet from the Twins and Multiple Births Association (Tamba). The factsheet is a terrific guide chock-full of important reminders and tips about how we can enhance our multiples’ individual selves. I especially appreciate how it emphasizes the influence all of us can have on promoting individuality. As I have mentioned in previous posts, Tamba is an organization based in London that provides services and care for multiple-birth families throughout the United Kingdom. In […]
Postpartum Depression: The Graphic Reality
Allie Artz, a young woman suffering with severe postpartum depression, has graciously given me permission to share her blog about her ongoing experience managing this condition since the birth of her son. I have only included a few paragraphs of her narrative but encourage you to click on the following link to read more about it in vivid detail. To those who have not experienced this horrifying state of mind and to clinicians who are unfamiliar with the thought processes […]
Long Time No See
Often I post stories about twins celebrating milestone birthdays together. However, I rarely tell stories about adult twins who have reconnected in later life after some years of discord. An identical twin woman in her midseventies—whom I will call Mary—came to see me after a particularly traumatic interaction with her twin sister, Monica. These women live near one another—about a thirty-minute drive. They had a long history of getting together for family events but rarely saw one another by themselves. […]
Twins: Addicted to Opioids and Each Other
I recently did a consultation about a pair of twins who became addicted to opioids after one of the teenage girls sustained a knee injury during a gymnastics competition. The girls are fourteen years old and have been devoted to training and performing since they were five years old. Both were highly gifted, motivated, and driven to excel. They spent practically every waking moment together training, practicing, and competing and had very little time for other activities or relationships. Gymnastics […]