Showing titles in Dysfunctional Families

“I was two when the woman I called Mummy told me, ‘You came out of another mummy’s tummy.’ I grew up thinking that my birth mother didn’t want me. I assumed there must’ve been something inherently wrong with me – why else would a mother give up her baby?” In 1974, Liz Harvie –...

Unlike people with carefree previous lives, I packed away my past. There are some memories labelled 'Look at', and others 'Leave well alone'... Emily Smith was held in a prison of fear for ten years. When she was four, her father left and a new man was brought into her life. He loved her, he...

Control. Jealousy. Isolation. Blame. Anger. Violence. The inspiring true story of a young woman who suffered a terrifyingly abusive relationship culminating in a horrific acid attack from the man who claimed to love her. Adele was just 23 years old when she was scarred for life by an acid attack...

Adult Children of Alcoholics (ACA) is a 12 Step organization that helps people deal with trauma, neglect, abandonment and abuse experienced in childhood that still affects as adults. This book is an official conference approved book of the fellowship of ACA. These daily readings, one for each day of the year, offer shared experiences from actual ACA members about the subject for the day that also include a passage from the Adult Children of Alcoholics / Dysfunctional Families Big Red Book. The pages are cited and the readings can be used as part of a daily meditation exercise.

Dealing with Toxic People is a solution-oriented book that throws light on one of the most important issues in today's world. Listeners will be able to learn every possible technique to help get rid of toxic people in the best possible manner.

In her long-awaited new memoir, the author of the New York Times bestseller and James Beard Award winner Blood, Bones & Butter tells the “raw and darkly humorous” (People) story of her family's unexpected dissolution. “Hamilton’s voice is as singular and rollicking as ever in Next of Kin...

For years, biblical counselor Darby Strickland has served women in oppressive marriages. Now she writes to anyone who wants to help, regardless of their level of experience. You will learn how to identify the toxic entitlement that drives abusive behavior and to better understand its impact on victims - including children who are raised in a home with domestic abuse. Ultimately, you will become equipped to provide wise and Christ-centered counsel and to empower and advocate for victims while navigating the complex dynamics of oppression in a marriage.

Ever found yourself stuck in a conversation with someone who just won't listen, or worse, keeps twisting everything to suit their needs? Dealing with difficult people can feel like navigating a minefield, especially when you need to keep the peace without losing your mind. Whether it's a narcissist, a manipulator, or that one coworker who thinks they're always right, this guide is here to help you regain control.

Shame is one of the most destructive of human emotions. If you suffered childhood physical or sexual abuse, you may experience such intense feelings of shame that it almost seems to define you as a person. In order to begin healing, it's important for you to know that it wasn't your fault. In this gentle guide, therapist and childhood abuse expert Beverly Engel presents a mindfulness and compassion-based therapeutic approach to help you overcome the debilitating shame that keeps you tied to the past.

If you experienced physical or emotional abuse, neglect, or abandonment as a child, you may struggle with unhealthy relationships as an adult. Hurtful attachments with our caregivers in early childhood can lay the foundation for toxic relationships. Those experiences can even affect the way we handle conflict, our feelings toward sex, and our expectations of our partners. But this doesn't mean you can't change. This book will help you gain a greater awareness of the trauma bonds that prevent you from getting the love, safety, and security you desire.

Max wants to be just like his dad - fun, loud and strong. Instead, he always seems to be accidentally getting into fights and breaking things. But when his dad starts bringing home mysterious boxes, even more mysterious wads of cash start turning up. Then Dad disappears. And it's up to Max to look after his sisters until he comes home. When they run away to a remote village in Wales, he's convinced that no one will find them.

Are you too nice for your own good? Do family members manipulate you? Do coworkers take advantage of you? If this sounds familiar, listen to The Nice Girl Syndrome. In this breakthrough guide, renowned author and therapist Beverly Engel, who has helped thousands of women recognize and leave emotionally abusive relationships, can show you how to take control of your life and take care of yourself.

Left as a newborn in a box outside Stoke City Football ground, her grandparents took her into their home. But instead of finding a sanctuary, Nicky was subjected to horrific sexual abuse throughout her childhood. In 1951, when Nicky was six years old, her glamorous-looking estranged mother arrived on the doorstep to 'rescue' her. But Nicky's hopes of a safe and loving family were very soon smashed, and her world became darker still. 

Children of Coercive Control extends Evan Stark's path-breaking analysis of interpersonal violence to children, showing that coercive control is the most important cause and context of child abuse and child homicide outside a war zone, as well as of the sexual abuse, denigration, exploitation, isolation, and subordination of children. The book provides a working model of the coercive control of children and illustrates its dynamics and consequences with dramatic cases drawn from the headlines and Dr. Stark's forensic practice.

The Empowered Empath & Narcissists is your compassionate, actionable guide to understanding, escaping, and healing from the complex web of narcissistic abuse. This book hands you the keys to lasting change and emotional freedom.

As far as Jennifer can remember, her father was abusive but her mother wasn’t always. She remembers a time when she felt loved by her mother. All that changed when Jennifer was 11. Her mother snapped and became a monster like her father was. Then they turned on her. Jennifer fought to become who she wanted to be, and not who her parents were trying to make her be. She refused to allow the torture change her, like it changed her mother. This is the story of Jennifer’s past, how she got through it, and how she survived it all.

Are you always waiting for the next bad thing to happen? Always on edge, watching for someone’s tone to shift, bracing for an impact that feels moments away even when nothing is actually wrong? Maybe you’re hypervigilant, scanning every interaction for danger: “Did I do something wrong? Why do they sound blunt? Are they angry?” Maybe you avoid conflict at all costs, terrified of what might erupt if you speak up. Or maybe you reshape yourself to keep the peace — agreeable, compliant, over-giving hoping that if you stay “good,” you won’t be hurt.

This book addresses the issue of gaslighting and toxic relationships that hinders your freedom and keeps you from maximizing the full potential that is in you without being subject to any form of manipulation. With specific techniques that are tried and true, you can overcome gaslighting in your relationship. This book will help you understand whether you are being gaslighted, where this abuse is coming from, and how to tackle the issues to give you the freedom you need emotionally and psychologically.

Shadows of Silence: Healing From Childhood Emotional Neglect is a compassionate and transformative guide for anyone who has experienced the silent wounds of neglect, abandonment, and emotional deprivation during their formative years. Emotional neglect, though often invisible, can leave deep scars that affect self-worth, relationships, and overall well-being well into adulthood. This book offers a powerful combination of reflections and actionable strategies designed to help you overcome the lingering effects of childhood emotional neglect.

On a hot August night on Cape Cod, when Adrienne was 14, her mother, Malabar, woke her at midnight with five simple words that would set the course of both of their lives for years to come: Ben Souther just kissed me. Adrienne instantly became her mother’s confidante and helpmate, blossoming in the sudden light of her attention; from then on, Malabar came to rely on her daughter to help orchestrate what would become an epic affair with her husband’s closest friend. The affair would have calamitous consequences for everyone involved.