Showing titles in Dysfunctional Families

There are two kinds of safety choices: those that disrupt power structures and those that leave them unquestioned. Gender-based violence is a social and political problem, but it’s often enacted in the most intimate spheres of our lives. In this book, nationally recognized leader in abuse prevention Meg Stone debunks baseless advice we get about personal safety. Tips like “don’t go shopping alone” and “don’t wear a ponytail” are not based on any evidence, but that doesn’t stop police officers and other men in authority from telling women to restrict our lives.

One in six women is the victim of sexual assault. Using her own hard-won wisdom, author Jen Cross shows how to heal through journaling and personal writing. Writing Ourselves Whole is a collection of essays and creative writing encouragements for sexual trauma survivors who want to risk writing a different story. Each short chapter offers encouragement, experience, and exercises.

A remarkable tale of endurance and resilience, Julia’s story is a glorious reminder that no matter how dark the circumstances, there truly can be a life of joy, fulfillment, and love waiting for you at the end of it. At once inspirational and engaging, this beautiful memoir has something for every listener. No matter what your own story holds, you’re sure to find reflections you relate to and gain a deeper understanding of the different stories that may be playing out behind closed doors.

This book addresses the issue of gaslighting and toxic relationships that hinders your freedom and keeps you from maximizing the full potential that is in you without being subject to any form of manipulation. With specific techniques that are tried and true, you can overcome gaslighting in your relationship. This book will help you understand whether you are being gaslighted, where this abuse is coming from, and how to tackle the issues to give you the freedom you need emotionally and psychologically.

On a hot August night on Cape Cod, when Adrienne was 14, her mother, Malabar, woke her at midnight with five simple words that would set the course of both of their lives for years to come: Ben Souther just kissed me. Adrienne instantly became her mother’s confidante and helpmate, blossoming in the sudden light of her attention; from then on, Malabar came to rely on her daughter to help orchestrate what would become an epic affair with her husband’s closest friend. The affair would have calamitous consequences for everyone involved.

Farming has been in John Connell's family for generations, but he never intended to follow in his father's footsteps. Until, one winter, after more than a decade away, he finds himself back on the farm. Connell records the hypnotic rhythm of the farming day - cleaning the barns, caring for the herd, tending to sickly lambs, helping the cows give birth. Alongside the routine events, there are the unforeseen moments when things go wrong: when a calf fails to thrive, when a sheep goes missing, when an argument between father and son erupts and things are said that cannot be unsaid.

If you've always wanted to know how to identify a narcissist and how to handle a narcissist, then pay attention. Do you finally want to say goodbye to the narcissistic abuse and discover something that works for you? If so, then you've come to the right place. You see, healing from narcissistic abuse doesn't have to be difficult. In fact, it's easier than you think. Imagine how you'll feel once you can take the control away from the narcissist to stop the abuse, and how your family and friends will react when they see you living the life that they always wanted for you.

When Amber Portwood debuted on MTV's hit reality series 16 & Pregnant, no one could have predicted that the teenager from Anderson, Indiana, with the dry sense of humor would go on to become one of the most controversial young celebrities in reality TV history. But soon after Amber stepped into the public eye, her life spiraled into chaos.

Gaslighting is a form of psychological manipulation in which the abuser attempts to diffuse confusion and self-doubt in their victim’s mind. By distorting reality and forcing the victim to question their own judgment, gaslighters are typically seeking to gain control and power over the other person. The whole purpose of gaslighting is to convince you that you are unable to trust your instincts, or even your thoughts, and therefore, cause you to question your entire reality.

Ella Lansville is a scapegoat daughter of a covert narcissist mother who was able to recover after a lifetime of hidden abuse and ultimately get her life back from her mother’s clutches. You, too, can rediscover the beauty of life and everything it has to offer. If you’re ready to take a step towards healing, this book will be your comprehensive guide.

Generational trauma silently infiltrates your life, shaping your thoughts, emotions, and behaviors in ways you may not even realize. It's the invisible force that keeps you stuck in patterns of struggle, sabotaging your relationships, health, and success. This book is your guide to understanding the complex web of generational trauma and how it impacts every aspect of your life. You'll learn how trauma is passed down through families, often in subtle and insidious ways, and how it manifests in your adult struggles and coping mechanisms.

If you've ever been given empty clichés during challenging times, you know how painful it can feel to be misunderstood by well-meaning people. Far too often, it seems the response we get to our hurt and disappointment is to suck it up or pray it away. But Scripture reveals a God who meets us where we are, not where we pretend to be.

In 1974, at the age of 14, I was abducted, beaten and raped in my hometown of Lincoln, Rhode Island by a recidivist, pedophile predator. He was arrested and indicted but never went to trial. He never went to trial because he was brutally beaten to death in the streets of Providence before his court date. Thirty-eight years after his murder, no one has ever been charged with the crime. Men in My Town is my personal story. It's a gripping suspense novel with a storyline that includes characters based on real people, real places and real events. It's a story about men in my neighborhood, men who watched over me during the time between my assault and my assailant's murder.

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.

In Narcissism: How to Stop Narcissistic Abuse, Heal Your Relationships, and Transform Your Life, you’ll learn everything you need to know about narcissism. You’ll equip yourself with the tools you need to stop narcissists in their tracks, build healthier relationships, and recover from narcissistic abuse.

If you have even an inkling that you may be affected by emotional abuse, you owe it to yourself to take action...but that can seem easier said than done when you find yourself falling for manipulation tactics over and over again. But there are steps you can take to break free of the cycle and set foot on the road to healing and recovery…and this guide will be by your side every step of the way. As soon as you suspect that someone in your life is doing you more harm than good, it’s time to take action.

Allison has all the appearances of a perfect life. No one would ever guess she’s been suffering from emotional torment inside the walls of her own home. Fans of dramatic memoirs will devour this captivating listen as they journey with Allison through her confusion, denial, and grief paired with thoughts of death and murder.

Explore your personal roots to shame with an expert. As a top authority on recovering from growing up in toxic families, Karen C. L. Anderson walks you through her shame story, her relationship with her narcissistic mother, and the simple practices she has developed to alleviate guilt from unhealthy relationships. Author of bestselling Difficult Mothers, Adult Daughters with over 150,000 copies sold, Karen offers tools to process, understand, and move beyond childhood trauma so you can not only survive, but thrive.

A homeless foster kid finds redemption in Iraq.

Michelle Stevens has a photo of the exact moment her childhood was stolen from her: She's only eight years old, posing for her mother's boyfriend, Gary Lundquist - an elementary school teacher, neighborhood stalwart, and brutal pedophile. Later that night Gary locks Michelle in a cage, tortures her repeatedly, and uses her to quench his voracious and deviant sexual whims. Little does she know that this will become her new reality for the next six years.

One misty evening, Jennings Michael Burch's mother, too sick to care for him, left her eight-year-old son at an orphanage with the words, "I'll be right back." She wasn't.... Shuttled through a bleak series of foster homes, orphanages, and institutions, Jennings never remained in any of them long enough to make a friend. Instead, he clung to a tattered stuffed animal named Doggie, his sole source of comfort in a frightening world. Here, in his own words, Jennings Michael Burch reveals the abuse and neglect he experienced during his lost childhood.

Tina Swithin discovered that there is only one thing more difficult than being married to a narcissist, and that is divorcing a narcissist or someone with a high-conflict personality. In her book, Tina will explain how a smart, independent woman can fall prey to a narcissistic man. Tina discusses the red flag reflections that initially, she didn’t recognize as concerning while dating and during the marriage. When Tina’s plight to protect her children began, she was forced to act as her own attorney due to severe financial abuse.

"Alle, wirklich alle Frauen können betroffen sein. Und alle, wirklich alle Männer können Täter sein." Die Rechtsanwältin Christina Clemm zeigt, wie allgegenwärtig die Gewalt gegen Frauen ist, und was wir verändern müssen - politisch wie privat. Lisa M. trifft Mirko im Studium. Sie verlieben sich, streiten kaum. Dann wird sie schwanger, sie ziehen zu seiner Mutter, haben bald drei Kinder. Eine Familie wie im Bilderbuch, wäre da nicht seine Wut. Anfangs muss Lisa die Hämatome noch verstecken, mit der Zeit wird er zielsicherer. Sie versucht zu fliehen, doch vergeblich.

One person out of every 25 people is a manipulative sociopath. These sorts of people can creep right into your life and snatch you up without you knowing. This audiobook explores ways to spot master manipulators of all kinds and provides advice on how to manage every outcome when they cross your path in your social, family, and professional life - as well as tips to keep yourself from becoming their next victim and how to send them away forever.

If you spent your childhood dealing with a narcissistic mother, then you know that the effects of living with someone so arrogant, self-centered, manipulative, and demanding don’t end when you leave home. If you have spent the intervening years trying to overcome the mental and emotional hurdles left in your way by such an experience, then now is the time to make a change!

In this book, the author provides a real-life example of the shocking revelations and aftermath of DNA investigation. Growing up as one of nine children, Stephen Anderson suspected from a young age that something was amiss. A chance accident, and a small crack in the history of his family broke open. More would come to be revealed as the author sets out on a journey to find answers to his questions. Any listener wondering what a DNA test might reveal will find here one extreme example of family secrets gone awry.

Almost every person will suffer some form of manipulative behavior at some stage in their life, it's unavoidable. Whether it's an overt form of intimidation and bullying in the workplace or more subtle covert manipulation within a relationship. It's much more prevalent than you think. But most people aren't equipped with the right observation strategies to pick-up on it, or the right mental make-up to deal with it....

From a young age, her life was defined by uncertainty—by trauma and strength, sadness and hope, terrible lows and wondrous highs. As a teenager she found the courage to speak up after experiencing awful and ongoing child sexual abuse. This fight to find her voice would not be her last. The Ninth Life of a Diamond Miner is Grace's story, in Grace's words, on Grace's terms. Like Grace, it is sharply intelligent, deeply felt and often blisteringly funny. And, as with all her work, it offers a constructive and optimistic vision for a better future for all of us.

Sexual abuse is the secret shame that lies deep within. Men hold on to this secret shame for an average of 25 years before they disclose the hurt and pain they have endured and carried from sexual abuse perpetrated by another male. As men disclose their abuse, it is important to examine how the abuse changed their thinking and behavior. A good majority of men were abused before puberty. The research shows that men, on average, are abused around the age of eight or nine, while in the latency stage of development.

In 1994, Lizbeth Meredith said good-bye to her four- and six year-old daughters for a visit with their noncustodial father only to learn days later that they had been kidnapped and taken to their father's home country of Greece. Twenty-nine and just on the verge of making her dreams of financial independence for her and her daughters come true, Lizbeth now faced a $100,000 problem on a $10 an hour budget.

Frank Senko had always known how to have a good time. But after a job change forced Frank to begin a long car commute every day, his daughter Jen noticed changes in his personality and beliefs. Long hours on the road listening to talk radio commentators like Rush Limbaugh sucked her father into a suspicion-laden worldview dominated by conspiracy theories, fake news, and rants about the "coastal elite" and "libtards" trying to destroy America.

You or someone you love may be in a toxic relationship, but it doesn't have to stay that way. In this compassionate and practical resource, Stephanie Quayle shares her powerful story alongside psychologist Dr. W. Keith Campbell's professional insights to give you the help and hope you need—and remind you that you are not alone.