As a culture we are fascinated with images of mother that are both terrifying and exceptionally compelling. Using both an archetypal and developmental lens we will explore the nature of three aspects of the sinister mother: the vampire mother, the dead mother, and the Medea mother. Art, myth, theater, as well as theories on infant, child and adult development will be our guides. We will grapple with internal maternal energies (complexes) and also with dark mothers in our everyday lives.