3/5 ⭐️⁣
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I had much higher expectations for Mary Trump’s “Too Much and Never Enough” due to her credentials and all the hype this book was getting.⁣
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Before going any further with this review, I want to explain what the “Goldwater Rule” is, as defined by the American Psychiatric Association (APA):⁣
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“On occasion psychiatrists are asked for an opinion about an individual who is in the light of public attention or who has disclosed information about himself/herself through public media. In such circumstances, a psychiatrist may share with the public his or her expertise about psychiatric issues in general. However, it is unethical for a psychiatrist to offer a professional opinion unless he or she has conducted an examination and has been granted proper authorization for such a statement.”⁣
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Countless psychotherapists have speculated about President Trump’s mental state; however, because of the “Goldwater Rule”, most professionals are reluctant to make definitive claims that would lead to ethical complaints with their respective licensing boards.⁣
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Since Mary Trump is speaking from the perspective of a family member (who also happens to be a clinical psychologist), I was excited to see things from her point-of-view. While she did offer three potential mental health diagnoses early on, it was clear she didn’t plan to make these the focus of her book. Instead, she launched into what was essentially a case study of Fred Trump (President Trump’s father) and his toxic presence as a parent.⁣
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Since this is the first book I’ve ever read about President Trump, I actually learned quite a bit about his family of origin. There were moments when I pitied the Trump children (due to the insecure attachments they developed with their parents), but I also experienced a great deal of contempt for the whole family by the end of the book.⁣
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This book does not offer an objective clinical perspective. Mary Trump is clearly speaking from her personal (and biased) viewpoint – which, while interesting in its own way, didn’t leave me feeling satisfied as a reader and mental health professional.