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A Memoir of Anxiety, Anorexia and Affairs

by Dawn Smith-Theodore

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Abortions were not legal when Dawn Smith-Theodore's mother found herself pregnant by a married man. As a teenager, Dawn fell in love with a handsome boy-next-door in her Ohio town, not knowing who he really was. A shocking revelation about the relationship and her mother's 18-year-old lover living in the family home set Dawn on a path that affected her choices and life with men. From her mother's small-town dance studio to her struggle with anorexia, to touring with a professional company around the world, a close-knit mother-daughter relationship endures secrets and scandal while rooted in love.

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Dawn's story causes us to ask:  What happens when those closest to us keep life-altering secrets? How do we as mothers and daughters navigate this notoriously difficult relationship? How do our maternal relationships affect our romantic choices later in life? The mother-daughter relationship is one of the most complicated and loving relationships in life. Mother, Men, and Me explores two powerful women, the men they loved, and the choices they make.

Dawn Smith-Theodore

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Who is Dawn

Dawn Smith-Theodore is a respected psychotherapist and eating disorder expert with over twenty years of experience as well as being recovered from anorexia herself. She was a professional dancer, a former flight attendant, and owned a dance studio in Los Angeles for twenty-five years. An esteemed author and host of the show "TuTu Thin: A Podcast for Dancers," Dawn provides insights from a dance professional's perspective, helping dancers and parents around the world navigate healthy living.

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In Mother, Men and Me: A Memoir of Anxiety, Anorexia and Affairs, Dawn unveils a potent saga of love, deceit, and resilience. Amid her personal battle with anorexia, convoluted romantic entanglements, and shocking family secrets, she finds refuge in dance. 'This memoir reveals the raw complexity of mother- daughter relationships, shedding light on how our familial bonds shape our lives and choices. Discover Dawn's journey from darkness to redemption in this compelling narrative.

About Mother, Men & Me

It is unconventional, complicated, nuanced and full of devotion and love...   -ZIPPORA KARZ
Dawn's story is about dealing with one's circumstances and the pain of life
while also grabbing the joys that living offers...   -CAROLYN COSTIN
...a powerful testament to the strength of the human spirit and the resilience of the human heart...   -DR. JOHANNA O'FLAHERTY
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