Germantown pediatrician explores how to heal from an absent father figure in new book
Dec. 20—From an experienced pediatrician and man struggling with the absence of his own father comes a raw examination of the consequences of missing paternal figures, from the delivery room to adult life.
After treating premature infants for more than 20 years, Dr. Moraji Peesay has witnessed the importance of fathers for the health and well-being of his patients. Scientific studies have shown this principle as well. Time and time again, maternal and neonatal complications are minimized simply by the presence of the baby's father. A father's love is powerful; he merely has to be in the room for mother and baby to gain benefits and this phenomenon doesn't stop after delivery.
Dr. Peesay writes that Absent-Father Syndrome can affect everything in our lives, especially our intimate relationships. The key to breaking the cycle of hurt, misunderstanding and loss is recognizing what belongs in the present and what belongs in the past.
To start the healing journey, it is essential to make peace with wounded pasts and to deepen present relationships, Dr. Peesay says. In "Absent-Father Syndrome," Dr. Peesay writes about his own experience with this cycle — how his father was absent and the ways this profoundly affected him. Part memoir, part observational study and part history lesson, the book explores the many ways fathers impact their children and the journey to healing from abandonment.
Dr. Peesay has published two other medical books and is actively involved in helping underprivileged kids cope with absent fathers.
