Toxic Parents

Overcoming Their Hurtful Legacy and Reclaiming Your Life

By: Craig Buck, Susan Forward

Narrated by: Jo Anna Perrin

Length: 10 hrs and 32 mins

Publisher's summary

When you were a child...

• Did your parents tell you you were bad or worthless?
• Did your parents use physical pain to discipline you?
• Did you have to take care of your parents because of their problems?
• Were you often frightened of your parents?
• Did your parents do anything to you that had to be kept secret?

Now that you're an adult...

• Do your parents still treat you as if you were a child?
• Do you have intense emotional or physical reactions after spending time with your parents?
• Do your parents control you with threats or guilt?
• Do they manipulate you with money?
• Do you feel that no matter what you do, it's never good enough for your parents?

In this remarkable self-help guide, Dr. Susan Forward draws on case histories and the real-life voices of adult children of toxic parents to help you free yourself from the frustrating patterns of your relationship with your parents---and discover a new world of self-confidence, inner strength, and emotional independence.

©1989 Susan Forward (P)2011 Tantor

Critic reviews

"I consider Susan Forward to be among the foremost therapists of our age." (John Bradshaw, author of Healing the Shame That Binds You)

Cannot Recommend Strongly Enough

This is a heart-wrenching, uplifting book. If you suspect perhaps you have a toxic parent, this is the book that will answer that question for you definitively. Once you have determined that you had a toxic parent, this book will guide you through the steps, stages, and emotions involved in tackling this obstacle.

The author provides non defensive language to help you communicate with your parents and those around you. It addresses breaking the cycle and finding resources beyond this book.

This book will awaken many emotions inside you, including rage and grief. These are absolutely essential in order to overcome the obstacles that having a toxic parent places in our lives. I would strongly recommend not listening to this book if you are not in an emotional place where you are able to handle this journey. However if you are in an emotionally stable place to begin to work on these issues then this is the book for you.

Brought me to a realization

It is harrowing how prevalent the mistreatment of children is and how easily toxic parents can get away with it, and this book sheds light on a broad spectrum of abuse and how to overcome growing up in an abusive home. It has made me feel somewhat hopeful of reaching peace within my own life.

This book is must for everyone

I wish I had read this book back when I was a teen. It would have saved me from a lot of hurt.

excellent! I will end up listening multiple times.

so much profound information on dealing with toxic parents as an adult. it has already helped me

A Book For the Courageous

This book is tough, it is not for the faint of heart. If you are able to make it through and see any honest connection between yourself, and your family life I give you so many kudos. This is real work. I recommend listening alone and with tissues and a notepad. Much love to you beautiful souls. Thank you Susan for your work and your willingness to share it.

Toxic Parents - Great book!

This is a great book for any person that grew up in a Toxic family. This book will help you to face your toxic family and will also give you the tools you need to prevent your immediate family from making the same mistakes.

My favorite book on this topic to date.

I loved it. So many real life stories which were relatable. Eye opening and inspiring.

Its worth a listen.

I read this book thinking about my parents who were clearly toxic but dare I say they were so toxic this book wasn't helpful. I think this book would be most helpful for individuals who have living parents that have personality disorders, but are still somewhat functional. Those with deceased parents or those with so severely limited parents that there is no hope of them understanding or approving of you, may not gain much from this book.

While I critize this book for not being able to help me personally in relationship to my own parents. I did gain a lot of insight from this book in respect to other individuals that I know again with personality disorders. Their behaviors I didn't fully accept/understand and I think I do following this book. Furthermore this book's section on getting in touch with your anger made me realise that I have been surpressing some anger I literally had no idea was still there.

So my thoughts are that this book is amazing. I didn't get what I had hoped from it, but it did provide meaningful insight. If you come from a disfunctional home or know people closely who came from a disfuctional home I highly recommend this book. I just think you should give yourself the time and space to read it.

Awesome book

This book has a lot of good valuable information in it, and although at no point did I find myself saying Yep I have toxic parents, it was still very informative valuable and useful information, And I do believe that my parents had talk to parents most likely. Another highly recommended book to consume for inner growth healing and awareness.

Susan is amazing!

I desperately wish for this to be a requirement for all Judges, Family Lawyers, and Thearpists to read, study and be tested on.