Pamela Stephenson Quotes & Trivia

Quotes

After all my probing into the human brain, I should still be aware of mysteries and come up with them myself.

Are you taking pictures of my socks?

Being a psychologist did enable me to maintain objectivity.

Being in one's 50s is a powerful time.

Clients don't want to read too much about their psychologist. Part of the art of psychotherapy is more that it's about the client, it's not about you.

I believe the menopause is a developmental phase. I'd had an early menopause so my need for adventure wasn't to do with that.

I do feel even closer to Billy as a result of writing the book. I still wish he'd make tea more often and remember my birthday!

I don't like the term mid-life crisis.

I don't think I'm generous enough to be the straight guy. I sort of make my own way and make my own statement. Do I mind pushing myself forward? Not at all.

I grew up in the suburbs of Sydney, an arid kind of place, but every day I took the ferry across the harbour to get to school. I'd watch the ships coming in and going out.

I loved my life, but my choices were overloading and overwhelming me. Listening to inner feelings and fulfilling some of these urges when they come along is incredibly important.

I was grateful for my psychological training, because it prepared me to step back a little and contextualize Billy's experiences.

I was thoroughly spoiled, I had a great career, everything I could possibly want materially, great husband, great kids, everything.

I've really written my books for my husband and our family. They've brought us closer together by allowing us to discuss things that were unspoken for so long.

Initially she was a powerful fantasy figure, a ghostly mentor but, as I learned more about her, she became more real.

It is one thing to go on stage and be funny or be in a good place in your career, but for a woman, actually facing the elements in a physical way is a very powerful thing.

Love is an obsession. It has that quality to it. But there are healthy obsessions, and mine is one of them.

Most people who went about saying a ghost had poked them with a brolly would be locked up somewhere.

My husband is a tramp, except he's a windswept and interesting one who tramps around the world on jumbo jets.

Perfect objectivity is always impossible, no matter who writes a person's biography.

Prior to setting sail, I'd taken survival courses and become proficient with firearms. Knowing I could take care of myself really changed me.

Sexual dreams aren't usually about sex.

So many people suffer from abuse, and suffer alone.

Suffering from dysentery at sea was no picnic.

The notion of a contemporary epiphany to me is very exciting, because it's a sort of biblical thing. It's something that has happened to people in other centuries or in the context of religious experience.

The work of a psychotherapist involves being empathic and insightful with one's patients without getting too lost in their painful stories to be helpful.

There is a probably natural and learned reticence with myself talking about my early life.

There may be a point where I may decide to write an autobiography.

There seems to be this impression that if I really am a psychotherapist, I can't be serious about it. They think there must be something fishy going on.

There was a special challenge in describing the awful childhood of a person who happens to be my own husband. It was very painful at times, for both of us.

There's been a number of erroneous biographies, articles and so on written about Billy and we both thought it would be a good idea to produce a true one.

They still think I'm a wacky comedian. They have trouble accepting that I've become something entirely different.

We have a couple of dogs, but I wouldn't describe myself as an animal person.

When I came off the boat I was very proud of the thick calluses which had developed on my feet. But now, I am struggling to get into my favourite high heels which is a shame, as I have so many.

Trivia

While staring on Saturday Night Live, Pamela impersonated Madonna, Billy Idol, Debby Douillard, Peggy Ashcroft, Joan Collins and Cyndi Lauper.

Pamela graduated from the National Institute of Dramatic Art in 1971.