Poem

Paper dolls

Paper dolls linked hand in hand, stretched out in a row

Me standing between me, looking to and fro

Hard to see all of me when stretched from here to there

if I try to bend and flex, I easily rip and tear

And when the wind blows

The doll follows like a waif

Some almost letting go, not feeling safe

Better pull together, better pull in close and tight

Now we hold together,

what a lovely site

Fold one over the other,

like an accordion to play

Now there’s strength in numbers,

all here to stay

Each doll important, each make the other strong

All of me’s are different, but none of me’s are wrong

Hugging each other close, now we all belong

Not so easily ripped now, not so easily torn

And when the wind blows, now we flex and bend

Now there’s strength in numbers, now we don’t pretend

Holding tight together it’s much easier to be,

Now I see all of you standing in between me

by Stacie Lauro, MD

Psychiatrist, Psychoanalytic Candidate at TBIPS

co-created with and with much gratitude to:

Heather Pyle, PhD; Bruce Reis, PhD; Alice Bartlett, PhD; Lycia Alexander-Guerra, MD:

Bruce Gilberg, PhD; and, of course, Phillip Bromberg, PhD;  and to patients to whom I am very privileged, honored and grateful to be a part of ... and many others