The living twin

Did you know that many people who are born as a single child began life accompanied by a brother or sister that died during pregnancy and vanished leaving no trace whatsoever? And did you know that the frequency which this occurs is amazingly high?

It's a well-known fact, verified by science for some decades now, that a 10% of babies who are born started their life as a part of a twin pregnancy and then lost their sibling during the first months of gestation. This phenomenon had remained purely statistical until quite recently. Only in the last few years has psychology started to become interested in the effects that this experience may have on the surviving twin.

Wha might the consequences be of spending the first weeks or months of one's life with a twin in utero, but then to suffer their loss and be born alone? How can person process and assimilate this primary experience, when frequently it is ignored and relegated to the unconscious levels of our self? The answers to these and other questions constitute the core of this book, which also includes around fifty testimonies that enable us to listen firsthand to the multiple manifestations that result from the experience of being a lone twin.



Peter Bourquin

Originally from Germany, he has lived near Barcelona since 1998. Founder and co-director of the institute ECOS - School of Systemic Constellation. Writer and humanist approach therapist. Trained in Family Constellations, Gestalt Therapy, Brainspotting and Integrative Psychotherapy with Richard Erskine.

Since 2001 he has provided training in family constellations performed in various Spanish cities. He assists in the training and supervision of professionals with various therapeutic institutes in Spain and Latin America. He is a didactic member of the German and Spanish associations (DGfS and AEBH).

He has authored two more books, FAMILY CONSTELLATIONS (2007) and THE ART OF THERAPY (2011), both published by the Editorial Desclée de Brouwer, Bilbao, Spain as well as numerous articles. His books and articles are published in Spanish, Portuguese, German and English.

Carmen Cortés Berenguer

Co-director and teacher of the ECOS teaching institute - School of Systemic Constellations. Professional Family and Systemic Constellations expert by the Royal University Centre Maria Cristina. Trained in various humanistic therapeutic approaches: Gestalt therapy; Integrative Psychotherapy with Richard Erskine; Brainspotting; SAT program of integrative psychotherapy and Enneagram with Claudio Naranjo; ' Energy Centers Gym'.

Teaches workshops on Family Constellations and assists in the training and supervision of professionals with various therapeutic institutes in Spain and Latin America.