Healing from an Emotionally Absent Mother

An indispensable hands-on guide to healing from the effects of childhood emotional neglect from the author of the groundbreaking The Emotionally Absent Mother

If you grew up with an emotionally absent mother—a mother who was cold, dismissive of your needs, unwilling or unable to give you the nurturing you needed—the wounds can last a lifetime. You may find yourself wondering, Why is it so hard to attend to my own needs? Why do I have so much trouble trusting people to be there for me? Do I need to hide parts of myself to be lovable?

But you’re not alone, and healing is possible. This workbook, from an expert in childhood emotional neglect, will guide you through the process of emerging from the pain and reclaiming the self you hid or changed for Mother’s sake. Inside you’ll find tools and more than seventy exercises, including personal inventories, journaling prompts, and small-group discussion questions, to help you work through the lingering effects of your neglect and be a better mother to yourself. 

This compassionate workbook will help you:

• Recognize your emotional neglect and abuse
• Identify its ongoing impacts
• Work through your deeper emotions
• Heal attachment wounds
• Parent your wounded parts
• Take in love and support

You’ll replace limiting self-images, defensive habits, and deep grief with self-assurance, openness, and hope—and ultimately, be equipped to embrace a more nourished and fulfilled life.