AIRED: October 12, 2020
SPECIAL GUEST: Claudia M. Gold, MD
One may think that perfect harmony is the defining characteristic of healthy relationships, but the truth is that human interactions are messy, complicated, and confusing. And according to renowned psychologist Ed Tronick and pediatrician Claudia Gold, that is not only okay, but it is also actually crucial to our social and emotional development. Now, I’ll let you go back and read that again if you need to… In The Power of Discord, these two pillars of UMass Boston show how working through the inevitable dissonance of human connection is the path to better relationships with romantic partners, family, friends, and colleagues.
Dr. Tronick was one of the pioneering researchers to prove that babies are profoundly affected by their parents’ emotions and behavior via “The Still-Face Experiment.” Dr. Tronick’s work, which brought about a game-changing shift in our understanding of human development, shows that our highly evolved sense of self makes us separate, yet our survival depends on connection. And so we approximate, iteratively learning about one another’s desires and intentions, and gaining confidence in the process as we correct the mistakes and misunderstandings that arise.
Working through the volley of mismatch and repair in everyday life helps us form deep, lasting, trusting relationships, resilience in times of stress and trauma, and a solid sense of self in the world. Drawing on Dr. Tronick’s research and Dr. Gold’s clinical experience, The Power of Discord is a refreshing and original look at our ability to relate to others and to ourselves.
ABOUT CLAUDIA M. GOLD, MD
Claudia M. Gold, MD is a pediatrician and writer who practiced general and behavioral pediatrics for over 20 years and now specializes in early childhood mental health. She is on the faculty of the University of Massachusetts Boston Infant-Parent Mental Health Program, the Brazelton Institute at Boston Children’s Hospital, and the Berkshire Psychoanalytic Institute.
She is a clinician with FIRST Steps Together, a program for pregnant and parenting women recovering from opioid dependence, and director of the Hello It’s Me Project, a community-based program supporting parent-infant relationships in rural western Massachusetts. Dr. Gold speaks frequently to a variety of audiences including parents and professionals. She writes regularly for her blog Child in Mind.
