Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents

How to Heal from Distant, Rejecting, or Self-Involved Parents

By: Lindsay C. Gibson PsyD

Narrated by: Marguerite Gavin

Length: 6 hrs and 50 mins

Publisher's summary

In this breakthrough book, clinical psychologist Lindsay Gibson exposes the destructive nature of parents who are emotionally immature or unavailable. You will see how these parents create a sense of neglect and discover ways to heal from the pain and confusion caused by your childhood. By freeing yourself from your parents' emotional immaturity, you can recover your true nature, control how you react to them, and avoid disappointment. Finally, you'll learn how to create positive new relationships so you can build a better life.

©2015 Lindsay C. Gibson (P)2016 Tantor

Critic reviews

"Lindsay C. Gibson, PsyD, gives practical insight into a prevalent problem.... The book is impeccably clear.... This utter lack of confusion makes the book quite soothing, despite the heavy subject." ( Foreword Magazine)

Fantastic and applicable

As an adult child of someone with two emotionally immature parents (unbeknownst to me until I found this book), I have never felt more understood in my life. This book scientifically and research-based explained my experiences and who my parents are/why I have habits that I do. It has served to help me manage my parent relationships in a way that protects me from emotional and psychological hurt while also helping me to realize areas I need to improve in because of poor habits I have learned/used. I couldn't recommend this book more highly.

Excellent distillation of concepts

Excellent distillation of concepts - will recommend to friends, family and clients. I listened to Audible version, then bought book to review and share excerpts.

Terrible voice, great book

The book is incredible and profound, but the voice performance was almost unbearable. A thoughtful, serious voice performance would have worked well, but there was a strident, almost scolding tone that was conveyed. Nevertheless, I will be buying this book to read in print and will recommend it. Outstanding and insightful advice for those who have parents who were unable to provide what their children needed to thrive.

Painful but self lighting

Amazing insights, eye opening on the way we act daily unaware of the healing needed to be done

Helpful for sufferers of CPTSD...

...to recognize unhealthy behaviors AND how to recognize healthy behaviors in your parents, other people, and your self! Sometimes parents can be very damaging to their children by being emotionally immature, even if the parents don't have a personality disorder or mental illness (or at least not diagnosed). This book is helpful for you if you're a child of parents who are emotionally immature due to their own unresolved traumatic childhoods. Many of these behaviors are laid out and Gibson gives a thorough yet non-daunting explanation of how a parent does them, why they parent is doing them both consciously and unconsciously, why these behaviors are harmful to the child's development of self and how it affects you for the rest of your life in both your relationship to your family and other situations not involving family. I had many ah-ha moments from this book, and Chapter 9 especially was amazing as it gives a side by side break down list of what getting to know a new friend or romantic partner looks like if the person is healthy vs if they're emotionally immature/unavailable/manipulative/dangerous/emotionally abusive. If you're parents were emotionally immature they probably never EXPLAINED basic interactions to you and how to stay safe around people, what signs to look for and how to navigate a conversations to maintain your boundaries. Chapter 9 is one of my favorite things I've ever read in any book. Its that helpful. I really love and appreciate the healing and insights this book has helped me have.

Very Informative!

I thoroughly appreciate the knowledge provided in this book. I recommend it for anyone on a self improvement journey.

Amazing!

At almost 60 years of age, I finally understand myself and what led me here! Great suggestions for rebuilding a life once lost. Thank you!

This book is an eye opener to bring out your true self

I loved the information and how excellently this book delivered! It’s a necessary guide towards the discovery of one’s true self we are meant to be, to achieve understanding of emotions and the emotions of others. This book provides the necessary tools know yourself and how to build emotionally mature relationships with loved ones. I recommend this book to new parents, it will help in learning how to provide emotional empathy in guiding your children on how to understand their emotions and how to have a clear vision of who they are. How to make good emotionally intimate connections with peers. I also recommend this book to anyone in search of the path towards healing traumas and wounds from childhood.
This book has giving me a clear vision on who i truly am.

Where was this book all my life?

This book has come as a welcome enlightenment after a lifetime of wanting a deeper relationship with a mother who could never understand me. It confirms and gives a beautiful frame to everything my counselor and I have been working on for the last several years. I'm grateful for this book that sums it all up in an easy read. I finally get it.

Helped me understand my childhood issues

Would you listen to Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents again? Why?

Yes, probably, because the information is relevant to my personal development.

What other book might you compare Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents to and why?

Yes, and would like to hear more books on this topic.

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Marguerite Gavin?

I don't like this narrator. She has a bit of a pedantic or didactic tone that I found hard to listen to. Oftentimes I like the books that are narrated by the author.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No, it took a lot of concentration so I listened to it at about 1-2hrs at a time while working on a hobby.