Showing titles in Dysfunctional Families

How many times have you heard that family is sacred, even when your reality is different? Resilience and well-being coach Josh Connolly knows statements like “You’ll miss them when they’re gone” or “Blood is thicker than water” doesn’t apply to everyone. With candor and compassion, he tackles the harsh reality of toxic family dynamics and provides the tools you need to deal with emotionally immature parents

From the time she was a little girl, Maryam rebelled against the terrible second-class existence that was her destiny as an Afghan woman. She had witnessed the miserable fate of her grandmother and three aunts, and wished she had been born a boy. As a feisty teenager in Kabul, she was outraged when the Russians invaded her country. After she made a public show of defiance, she had to flee the country for her life. A new life of freedom seemed within her grasp, but her father arranged a traditional marriage to a fellow Afghan, who turned out to be a violent man....

Following the tremendous success of Pulitzer Prize nominee A Child Called "It", this book continues the extraordinary tale of author Dave Pelzer's childhood. On the verge of adolescence, Dave is rescued from his terrifyingly abusive, alcoholic mother and made a permanent ward of the court. Then the real journey begins. He is moved from one foster home to another, searching for identity and family.

One of five children, Pat watched as her alcoholic mother struggled to get by on charity, cons, and petty crimes. At age seven, Pat was taught to roll drunks for money. At 12, she was targeted for sex by a man eight years her senior; by 13, she was pregnant. By 15, Pat was a mother of two. Alone at 16, Pat was determined to make a better life for her children. But with no job skills and an eighth-grade education, her options were limited. She learned quickly that hustling and humor were the only tools she had to survive.

A shocking true story that reveals how one woman was tormented to the very depths of despair by her husband through coercive control and continual physical and sexual abuse. Broken in mind, body and spirit and completely isolated from the rest of the world, Hannah thinks she’ll never find the strength to escape, until one day an opportunity arrives....

Co-parenting with a narcissist is relentless. You can’t change them, but you can change how you respond—and that makes all the difference. If you’ve ended a relationship with a narcissist (or plan to), you know they won’t suddenly become a cooperative, empathetic parent. Though free from their direct control, their manipulation and gaslighting can continue—primarily through your children. They may sabotage your parenting, manipulate your kids, or fight for custody despite lacking true commitment.

Do you feel trapped in patterns of manipulation, defensiveness, or emotional detachment? Are your relationships suffering because of it? Change is possible—without losing your confidence or identity. How to Stop Being a Narcissist gives you the tools to develop self-awareness, emotional balance, and deeper, more meaningful connections. Learn how to recognize harmful behaviors, manage emotional reactions, and embrace vulnerability to foster trust.

To others, Dr. Lawrence Mieczkowski (Dr. Mitch) was a successful physician, caring father, and good husband—but inwardly, he was suffering from deep despair. When the 1999 Columbine shootings triggered a descent into near madness, he lost his ability to fight off the demons dragging him further into the darkness of depression and hopelessness. Something had to be done.

The stories you are about to listen to are brutally gruesome. They represent humanity at its worst. TV crime shows and stories in the news tend to gloss over the truly horrible parts, but the True Crime Case Histories series leaves out none of the details.

Have you ever felt stuck in the same toxic cycles—self-doubt, unhealthy relationships, or negative thoughts that just won’t go away? Maybe you don’t think of yourself as toxic, but sometimes, in certain situations, you notice behaviors you’re not proud of. You’re not alone. And most importantly—you’re not doomed to stay this way. This book isn’t about judging yourself or others. It’s about understanding where toxic patterns come from, how they take root, and how to finally let them go so you can build a life that feels lighter, healthier, and more fulfilling.

Aprende a criar eficazmente a tus hijos con un ex narcisista asegurándote de que crezcan emocionalmente seguros, mentalmente fuertes, confiados y felices. ¡Tú puedes hacerlo! Pero necesitarás aplicar una serie de estrategias específicas. ¿El comportamiento narcisista de tu ex está provocando caos y conflictos constantes en la dinámica de coparentalidad? ¿Estás cansado, o cansada, de las constantes luchas de poder y manipulaciones que conlleva la coparentalidad con un ex narcisista? ¿Tienes dificultades para establecer y mantener límites saludables por el bien de tus hijos?

Spending the night in juvie wasn't the worst thing to happen to seven-year-old Teresa that summer. When her much-anticipated cross-country vacation turns to abduction, Teresa is forced to care for her mother, sister, and twin brothers. Homeless, abused, and afraid in the slums of San Francisco's Tenderloin District, Teresa finds joy in her adventures while fantasizing of a better life. Keeping this dream alive throughout her childhood is what drives her to end the cycle of abuse and poverty.

In the best-selling tradition of Smashed and The Glass Castle, this raw, eye-opening memoir tells the powerful story of Elizabeth Garrison's fractured childhood, descent into teenage drug addiction, and struggle to overcome nearly insurmountable odds. Elizabeth invites the listener behind the closed doors of a picture-perfect Christian family to reveal a dark, hidden world of child abuse, domestic violence, and chilling family secrets all performed in the name of God under the tyrannical rule of her father.

In this electrifying literary memoir, Kate Hamilton deftly traces her complicated journey from loving wife to gaslit victim to furious feminist with an urgent goal: to expose how women are pressured to uphold the institutions of marriage and family, no matter the cost. In the tradition of Know My Name and The Argonauts, Hamilton braids her own story with cultural criticism to argue that we must face the misogyny lurking in the shadows of marriage in the 21st century.

In this final episode of this memoir series, Tom, the lifetime bachelor, takes in his two young nephews to keep his sister's children in the family. The enormous challenges of this sudden and abrupt change leads to life-altering changes.

First published in 1989, Dan Allender's The Wounded Heart has helped hundreds of thousands of people come to terms with sexual abuse in their past. Now, more than 25 years later, Allender has written a brand-new book on the subject that takes into account recent discoveries about the lasting physical, emotional, relational, and spiritual ramifications of sexual abuse.

Descubre cómo afrontar un divorcio conflictivo y transformar tu vida, incluso si escapar de tu ex narcisista parece imposible. ¿Te sientes atrapado/a en un matrimonio tóxico sin salida? ¿Te abruma la idea de enfrentarte a un narcisista manipulador en un tribunal de familia? ¿Temes las repercusiones personales y parentales de dejar a tu pareja abusiva? Si es así, no estás solo/a. Muchas personas como tú están atrapadas en la red del abuso emocional y psicológico, preguntándose cómo recuperar sus vidas y garantizar un entorno seguro y estable para sus hijos.

Often, we may encounter unpleasant relatives who drain our energy by bringing negativity and sabotage to our moments of joy, plans, or life perspective. But there is always a reason behind their attitudes which we will dig into here. Plus, you will understand how these relatives affect your life. As you go through this book, you will be able to wisely bring closure, not to those toxic relationships but to your frustration, and give yourself the space to love those family members from a fair distance without disrespect or harmful conflicts.

Was your mother preoccupied, distant, or even demeaning? Have you struggled with relationships - or with your own self-worth? Often, the grown children of emotionally absent mothers can't quite put a finger on what's missing from their lives. The children of abusive mothers, by contrast, may recognize the abuse - but overlook its lasting, harmful effects. Psychotherapist Jasmin Lee Cori has helped thousands of men and women heal the hidden wounds left by every kind of undermothering.

You have to be able to identify gaslighting really quickly. And you shouldn't know anything less than what you can get from this book. Knowing less exposes you to the great dangers of gaslighting. There are tons of things you could be missing in life, while others hold you down. You could be somewhere you want to be by now. Free yourself or free somebody today.