Showing titles in Dysfunctional Families

From the outside, Vanya’s childhood of riding horses with her father in the solitude of the Sierra Nevada Mountains and attending flamboyant operas with her mother in the city looked idyllic. But life for Vanya was more about learning to gauge and survive her parents’ unpredictable actions - from being left to lie in her own blood-soaked diaper while her Christian Scientist mother prayed, refusing to get medical help, to watching her father writhe on his bed in the detox ward, his hands and feet tethered with leather straps.

A Celebration of Sex for Newlyweds answers specific often unasked questions about sexual topics and presents newly married couples with detailed techniques and behavioral skills for learning sexual pleasure and intimate companionship. An excellent tool for premarital counseling and a wonderful gift for the newly married, this book offers invaluable information in a professional yet sensitive style.

Lynn grew up the carefree daughter of a Miami undercover narcotics agent—until her dad snuck out of the house in the dark of night without a glance back. She never knew what happened to her father until she was in high school, and he was in prison for drug smuggling. By then, Lynn had developed a dangerous drug and alcohol habit of her own. It was the perfect setup for her to latch onto the only connection to her dad that remained when he was paroled from prison—cocaine.

This author tells the true story of his younger life of physical abuse and extreme mental abuse that was imposed upon him by an unstable stepdad on a daily basis. In this book, the author shares raw events from his abuse that occurred when he was 10 years old to about 15 years old, and the only safe place he could sometimes escape to was his grandma's house and the local church whenever he was allowed to attend.

When Gloria Hall was five years old, her mother died, leaving her daddy to raise six small children alone. He soon remarried, and Gloria and her brothers endured both physical and mental abuse at the hands of her stepmother. For years, Gloria and her two younger brothers lived in constant fear of the next beating, which were sometimes severe enough to keep them from school activities.

Becoming Allies identifies and examines abusive and controlling behaviors, explains the underlying beliefs that drive them, and teaches specific, concrete techniques for changing them. It is nothing short of a lifeline for people who want to stop their abusive and controlling behaviors and improve their relationships with themselves, their partners, and their loved ones.

You fell in love. On your wedding day, you never dreamed life could be any better. Now you’re in the midst of a heated battle, your head spinning and your heart broken, wondering where that person went. Tracy A. Malone, an internationally recognized expert on emotional abuse and narcissistic personality disorder, survival coach and founder of a narcissistic abuse support website, has been there, along with countless others whose successes offer quick, enlightening glimpses into methods used to outlast the attempts at destruction, and flourish after the dust has settled.

Do you feel like your relationship with your parents is always bringing you down? Do they blame you for their problems, for being a thorn in their shoes, always endeavoring to make you feel like the most massive burden? Abusive parents tend to share common traits - they are constantly negatively reactive, lack empathy, are extremely controlling, always critical, and continuously transfer blame to you. If your parent ticks any of those boxes, then you are likely already aware of who and what you're dealing with. But from here on, things can only get better if you let them

A story-driven, integrative, and practical book to help families heal from the effects of a loved one’s addiction and move forward into a healthy future.

Tommy Belanger had been born into a dysfunctional family - fed by alcohol abuse, abject poverty, and the trials and tribulations associated with living in isolation. His was a life filled with child abuse, incest, bestiality, and zoophilia. Tommy hated how those things affected him and his siblings. And he detested his father.

As identical twins, Haylee and Kaylee Fitzgerald have always done things in exactly the same way. Under their mother's guidance, their every outfit, every meal, and every thought was identical. But now things are different. With Kaylee back at home after her sister's betrayal, her life has been turned inside out. Both her mother and Haylee are away, and Kaylee's alone and more lost than ever.

Tired of endless battles with your narcissistic ex? Does every conversation turn into manipulation? Worried about how this toxic dynamic is affecting your child? Co-parenting with a narcissist is exhausting. Gaslighting, control tactics, and legal fights make peaceful parenting feel impossible. But you can take back control. This guide provides practical strategies to help you navigate co-parenting or parallel parenting with a high-conflict ex, protect your child, and reclaim your peace.

In Toxic Minds, you’ll find straightforward, practical advice on how to spot toxic behaviors early, navigate tricky relationships, and set boundaries that stick—whether you’re dealing with a difficult coworker, a manipulative friend, or someone much closer. This isn’t about cutting people off at the first sign of trouble; it’s about learning how to manage the relationships you can’t simply walk away from and creating a healthier emotional landscape for yourself.

Seven-year-old little girls love their daddy. Kathy was no exception, so when her daddy started paying “special” attention to her, she felt “special” in turn. Her daddy loved her.
Few betrayals run as deep as the betrayal of being sexually abused throughout your childhood by the man you should have been able to trust with your life. For Kathy, the betrayal ran deeper because when she finally found the courage to start speaking out about what her abuser did to her, her family responded by labeling her a liar and a troublemaker. Kathy didn’t stop speaking out, though.

As someone who has experienced narcissistic abuse first-hand, I understand the fear, anxiety, and uncertainty that comes with leaving an abusive partner. But I can guide you through the process of leaving your abuser and never looking back.You'll learn how your brain is being damaged and what you need to do right now to reverse these effects. You'll discover the signs and cycles you go through as a victim and how to stop them in their tracks. I'll also show you the controlling tactics that narcissists use to keep you close and why you may have failed in your attempts to leave them before.

Most of us are only starting to become aware of how our foundational years contribute to who we are today. Our childhood environment shapes the foundation for our sense of self, how we feel about the world, and how we relate to others. If we experienced trauma or dysfunction along the way, it likely disrupted the pathways to these fundamental structures. Understanding our trauma is not about blame, but about understanding, learning, and growing. In most cases, our caregivers did the best they could with the tools they had, often while dealing with external or internal stressors as well.

Child abuse is the physical or psychological abuse of a child by an adult. In addition, child maltreatment often has the same meaning as child abuse and neglect. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines child abuse as follows: All behaviors deliberately or inadvertently carried out by an adult, society, or state that adversely affect the child's health, physical and psycho-social development are ill-treatment of the child.

In January of 1995, 17-year-old Lizzette Martinez met Grammy-winning musician and record producer R. Kelly at Aventura Mall in Florida where he was performing. At first, it seemed that her hopes of becoming a professional singer were about to come true when he offered to help boost her career. However, this mentorship quickly turned into sexual grooming, leading to years of physical, emotional, and sexual abuse.

In this new edition of her best-selling Changing Course, Claudia Black extends a helping hand to individuals overcoming the complex trauma of being raised with addiction in the family.

Pretty much every parent has been reactive at some point. Reactive parenting encompasses the negative behaviors that stem from frustration, like yelling, threatening, screaming, and over-rewarding or bribing. It's difficult not to snap when you're overworked, overtired, and faced with a child experiencing extremely high emotions. That's where this book comes in. Break Free from Reactive Parenting offers up a new approach toward self-regulation and child expression, focusing on the family as a whole to create a calmer, more equitable home environment.