Thomas R. Verny, MD, D. Psych., FRCPC.
 
 
Thomas R. Verny is a psychiatrist, writer and academic presently on the faculty of the Santa

Barbara Graduate Institute. He has previously taught at Harvard University, University of

Toronto, York University, Toronto and St. Mary's University, Minneapolis, Minnesota.


In 1974 Verny wrote his first book, Inside Groups, for McGraw Hill. The Secret Life of the

Unborn Child (with John Kelly), Summit Books, published in 1981 became an international

bestseller available in 27 countries. The Secret Life has changed the pregnancy and childbirth

experience for millions of mothers and fathers.


In 1983 Verny founded the Pre- and Perinatal Psychology Association of North America

(PPPANA, renamed APPPAH in 1995), and served as its president for eight years. In 1986

he launched the Association's Journal (Human Sciences Press, New York), which he edited

from its inception until 1990. In 1987 Verny edited Pre- and Perinatal Psychology: An Intro-

duction, published by Human Sciences Press. Verny's next two books were Parenting Your

Unborn Child, Doubleday, 1988, and Nurturing the Unborn Child (co-author Pamela Weintraub),

Delacorte Press, 1991, and Dell, 1992.
 
 
In a departure from his previous scientific writings, Verny edited an anthology of short stories

and poems about fathers and grandfathers entitled Gifts of Our Fathers, Crossing Press, 1994.

He is also a published poet. His poetry has appeared in Footwork: Paterson Review, Sublime

Odyssey, Rage Before Pardon, and Everyman, A Men's Journal.


In 1998 he collaborated with Sandra Collier on creating Love Chords, a compilation of classical

music for pregnancy published by The Childrens Group, Pickering, On. Canada.


Verny’s latest book, TOMORROW’S BABY: The Art and Science of Parenting from Conception

through Infancy, written with Pamela Weintraub, was published in hardcover by Simon and

Schuster, New York, in 2002 and in paperback under a new title, PRE-PARENTING: NURTURING

YOUR CHILD FROM CONCEPTION in 2003. The book explores the implications of recent dis-

coveries in the brain sciences and Prenatal Psychology for early human development, personality

and parenting. Pre-Parenting is now available in Spanish, German, Italian and Portuguese. A

Japanese edition will appear in 2005.


In addition to seven books, Verny is the author or co-author of 42 scientific papers and articles.


Verny has participated in more than 250 newspaper, radio and TV interviews, including

appearances with Donahue, Merv Griffin, Oprah, Sally Jessy Raphael, Barbara Walters,

and Unsolved Mysteries. Vision TV, Toronto, Canada, produced a 15-minute special on

Verny and his book, Gifts of Our Fathers, in 1996.


Verny's books, professional publications and founding of the PPPANA and the Pre- and

Perinatal Journal, have established him as one of the world's leading authorities on the

effect of the prenatal and early post-natal environment on personality development.  He

has lectured and given workshops on Prenatal and Perinatal Psychology throughout

Canada, the United States, Europe, South America and Southeast Asia.