Mothers Who Can't Love

A Healing Guide for Daughters

By: Susan Forward, Donna Frazier Glynn

Narrated by: Susan Forward, Kathleen Gati, Julia Whelan, Cherise Boothe, David Atlas

Length: 8 hrs and 28 mins

Publisher's Summary

With Mothers Who Can't Love: A Healing Guide for Daughters, Susan Forward, Ph.D., author of the smash number one best seller Toxic Parents, offers a powerful look at the devastating impact unloving mothers have on their daughters - and provides clear, effective techniques for overcoming that painful legacy. 

In more than 35 years as a therapist, Forward has worked with large numbers of women struggling to escape the emotional damage inflicted by the women who raised them. Subjected to years of criticism, competition, role-reversal, smothering control, emotional neglect and abuse, these women are plagued by anxiety and depression, relationship problems, lack of confidence and difficulties with trust. They doubt their worth, and even their ability to love. 

Forward examines the Narcissistic Mother, the Competitive Mother, the Overly Enmeshed mother, the Control Freak, Mothers who need Mothering, and mothers who abuse or fail to protect their daughters from abuse. 

Filled with compelling case histories, Mothers Who Can't Love outlines the self-help techniques Forward has developed to transform the lives of her clients, showing women how to overcome the pain of childhood and how to act in their own best interests. 

Warm and compassionate, Mothers Who Can't Love offers daughters the emotional support and tools they need to heal themselves and rebuild their confidence and self-respect.

©2013 Susan Forward (P)2013 HarperCollins Publishers

Very Powerful. Deserves 6 stars!

If you could sum up Mothers Who Can't Love in three words, what would they be?

Empowering. Inspiring. Helpful.

What does the narrators bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I love this narrator! Her voice is comforting and genuine. She really brings this book to life.

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

Yes!

Any additional comments?

This book helped me more than any other similar book has. The author really hits the nail on the head and she gave me permission to heal. She was pulling thoughts out of my head and she will hold your hand and walk you through every twist and turn. I noticed myself thinking questions like "how do I" and "what if" and "yeah, but"... well, keep listening. She will address everything you're thinking about. And, this is the first book that was powerful enough to actually get me to do the exercises - and I felt so good after I did them. The first exercise was startling for me in how powerful it was. I ended up outside late at night, barefoot, in my pajamas, smiling and feeling so happy!! I don't want to spoil anything, but don't dismiss the exercises (like you usually do, and like I usually do.)

If you're looking for permission to heal, to overcome and summon your strength to find joy and meaning for yourself, this is the book.

Incredibly validating and empowering.

Must read for anybody recovering from the abuse of a narcissistic mother, regardless of what stage you're at in the recovery process. I read numerous books and watched hours upon hours of YouTube videos about healing from the abuse prior to listening to this book and thought I'd hear something similar to the rest but this one stands alone as one of the best!

chapter 14-16 are best<br />

not bad, chapters 14-16 are useful... the rest was a list of examples of unloving mothers

Helped make sessions with my therapist more fruitful.

I'd recommend this to anyone struggling to understand her mother's rejecting behavior. Raised by an emotionally distant, neglectful, and abusive mother, I thought I was the source of my mental anguish. I am not. This book helps me acknowledge the painful impact of my mother's parenting style on my life, choices, and day-to-day responses to other people. I used it to support the work I am doing in therapy. I highly recommend it. Coming to grips with my mother's past and present behavior is hard work, and this is a useful tool. Not the complete solution, but part of a therapeutic toolbox.

It's what I really needed to hear

The book for me was so hard to hear, but it transformed my life. I thought I was the only going through the pain regarding my mother, but no, to my relief there are many daughters like me going through the same thing. I am very grateful to Susan Forward in writing this book. It has changed my life and gave me the courage and strength I need to move forward and not feel guilty in doing so.

A new start.

There is a future for people who were unloved by their parents. This book helped me to see this.
I wish there was more information about children whose mothers beat them.
I'm not alone, there are many of us who grew up in a home where neither parent wanted us, and yet we can have a life.
Reading this book and others on this subject can help you to see how.

Questions finally answered.

I was surprised that I have been dealing with this for years and never had any explanation for my mothers behavior. Thank you. Now to begin the healing,

A must read

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes. It is very practical.

What other book might you compare Mothers Who Can't Love to and why?

Emotional Blackmail: When the People in Your Life Use Fear, Obligation, and Guilt to Manipulate You by Susan Forward

Any additional comments?

This is a must read for any daughter that has a difficult relationship with her mother.

Buckle Up.

I hate this book. Not because of the quality of the content or the narration- both were superb- but because of how much pain I was in when I connected all the dots in regard to my own maternal relationship. A mom is supposed to be the safe haven from the cruelty of the world, she’s the most important relationship a human has in life. What do you do if your Mother-figure is incapable of love? What if she uses, abuses, and manipulates you just as a demented hobby? This book made me realize my surrogate mother is a villain. That realization was important but far from enjoyable. Some people were born evil, some of them are women, and some of them have children. Being those children hurts like hell. Make sure you are in a stable point in your life before you read this book.

Identified completely

This book was an emotional journey for me. Through each chapter I became more introspective and took time to do some very HARD work as I navigate my feelings about my own mother, and my past relationships and behaviors. I definitely recommend this for any daughter who has had difficulty with their mother and especially narcissistic mothers who continue to claim pieces of their adult daughters life they don’t deserve to have.