This book is an intriguing insight into our early beginnings and their influences on our character and personality in our life, and our relationship with family, work and the wider implications worldwide. Shirley Ward, in her long career as a pioneering pre- and perinatal psychotherapist, sets out clearly the basic principles of pre- and perinatal psychotherapy illustrated richly with case studies. This is an extraordinary and much needed study of foetal consciousness and our sacred journey from conception to birth, to give hope in a rapidly changing world. Having at its foundation the early pioneering work of Dr Frank Lake, the British psychiatrist who believed that our life was influenced from conception and our birth. Tracing the history of birth memories it is well known that the retrieval of pre and perinatal memories from conception, the time in the womb and birth can help us understand how and why we behave as we do in the world. Many answers are found in this earliest period of human development. By understanding the state of our parents at our conception, how we were treated in the womb and the type of birth we experience will all contribute to our personality, character and health. This book is written not only for professional and psychotherapists to understand seemingly irrational behaviour in their clients, whether children, teenagers or adults. There is something for everyone to understand, giving clarity and a reason to questions that have had no answer, and problems that may have their origins in this early non-verbal period of their lives. Evidence is showing that memories are stored in our bodies which give that necessary insight that negative thoughts from these early periods may be understood by consciously knowing the physical, historical and emotional beginnings and their influences upon us. The creative, dynamic theories of rhythms and patterns, fractals, as emphasised by Dr Jean Houston, are synthesised into the work and also the understanding of the chakras and energy healing of Rosalyn Bruyere. It is shown that understanding evolves as more and more ideas influence our deeper meaning of life and living in the future. More research into the mind and brain sciences will also contribute to this invaluable work. Believing that healing the negative parts of our early life may help us heal the state of the planet Shirley Ward sees clearly the responsibility humanity has in looking at these rhythms and patterns of our lives that we project onto our earthly home. The message resounding throughout the book is that we are at the tip of the iceberg, gradually melting it, and understanding the wider implications that life begins before birth and not when we suddenly emerge from the womb. It gives a clear message that we can take charge of understanding our early beginnings. ​​​​​​​If parents understood the patterns surrounding their children's birth and teachers knew of the types of birth and the behaviour related to them a great deal of stress and conflict could be avoided. Remembering our children's children and the future of our earthly home is an incentive to gently absorb the urgency of this work to achieve an idea of the world being a safer, more peaceful and less conflicting place to live. Over the last 25 years or more, there has been a timely renaissance of the study of intrauterine and conception memories. It is now known that the retrieval of pre- and perinatal memories can help us understand how and why we behave as we do in the world. In this extraordinary and much needed study of a sadly neglected area of therapy, Shirley Ward sets out clearly the basic principles of pre- and perinatal psychotherapy, richly illustrated with case studies from her own work.