Healing from Parental Abandonment and Neglect

Move Beyond Insecure Attachment to Build Safety, Connection, and Trust with Yourself and Others

De: Kaytlyn Gillis LCSW, Elaine Miller-Karas LCSW

Narrado por: Elyse Jacobson

A powerful approach to heal from abandonment trauma, break free from self-blame and shame, and rebuild trust—with yourself and the ones you love.

Do you blame yourself for being abandoned or neglected as a child, or suffer from poor self-esteem, anxiety, or depression as a result? Do you have deep feelings of shame, defectiveness, and insecurity that impact your life and relationships? If so, you are not alone. These are common experiences for survivors of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). But what happened to you as a child or young adult isn’t your fault. By understanding how you were affected, you can start on the path to healing and personal growth.

From family trauma expert and abandonment survivor Kaytee Gillis, Healing from Parental Abandonment offers a powerful, evidence-based approach that draws on acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and compassion-focused therapy (CFT) to help you develop a thorough understanding of what abandonment is and how it may have shaped who you are today.

You’ll also learn skills to help you work through self-blame and shame, replace unhealthy behaviors with positive coping skills, form healthy boundaries, and reconnect with your true self. And finally, you’ll find exercises and activities to help you put what you’ve learned into action—so you can make lasting positive change.

What happened in your past doesn’t have to define your future. If you’re ready to heal the invisible wounds of your childhood, this compassionate guide can help you get started today.

©2025 Kaytlyn Gillis, LCSW (P)2025 New Harbinger Publications

Reseñas de la Crítica

“Readers will immediately recognize Kaytee Gillis’s passionate and compassionate voice from social media, as she advocates for adult survivors of childhood abuse and neglect. She balances clinical observations, research, and her own personal history to normalize and explain the invisible scars this type of childhood can inflict, and provides realistic strategies and practices to manage these types of traumas. Both laypeople and clinicians will find useful information in this book.”—Robyn Koslowitz, PhD, author of Post-Traumatic Parenting, clinical director of The Center for Psychological Growth, and host of the Post-Traumatic Parenting YouTube channel

“Kaytee Gillis uses her vast therapeutic experience and own personal journey to build a healing journey filled with compassion, practical tools, and hope. With insightful knowledge about how parental abandonment affects the self, relationships, and more—and powerful strategies to support healing in these areas—this is a must-read for individuals and clinicians alike.”—Betsy Holmberg, PhD, author of Unkind Mind

“Kaytlyn Gillis’s book, Healing from Parental Abandonment and Neglect, is a revelation! She masterfully blends brilliant writing with research and her own challenges, creating an invaluable resource for healing. The transformative exercises—including coping with triggers, overcoming negative self-talk, and impactful guided imageries—empower readers to engage deeply with their healing process. This book deserves a place on every psychiatrist’s and therapist’s bookshelf, essential for anyone seeking personal growth or supporting others on their journey. A must-read for anyone ready to transform their past into a source of strength!”—Scott Shapiro, MD, nationally recognized adult attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) psychiatrist, and a renowned executive coach based in New York, NY