Linda Pedreira

Shadowing Sarah Linda Pedreira

Authored by an acute psychotherapist and university professor, "Shadowing Sarah" describes journeys of self-discovery through the eyes of its protagonist, Sarah, as she works with her patients in both group and individual sessions. These patients exhibit a wide range of common issues that include sexual identification, physical and emotional abuse, surrogate parenthood, relationship conflicts, parents negatively enabling adult children, and the stress holocaust survivors place upon their children. These patient sessions impel Sarah to relive similar moments of inner turmoil that she had mistakenly believed had long since been resolved -- using interior monologues and visual flashbacks to describe her past sexual exploits and fantasies in explicit detail. As such, "Shadowing Sarah" is an insightful exploration of the ways psychotherapy heals both patient and psychotherapist, revealing how they often stand on an equal playing field. Another of the novel's underlying truths is the common struggle to accept one's sexual identity without guilt or shame through psychotherapy and the eventual acceptance of those concealed desires and fetishes. With these realizations come the onset of healing for both Sarah and her patients.