Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents: How to Heal from Distant, Rejecting, or Self-Involved Parents by Lindsay C. Gibson

Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents: How to Heal from Distant, Rejecting, or Self-Involved Parents Reviews

• 
  Catherine Clark

  I was intrigued by this book having seen a tough dynamic between some friends & their parents. It’s hard to navigate! I will say if you are someone who has experienced this or know someone who has, this book will make you feel seen. The beginning of the book will for sure be validating. The end talks about managing expectations instead of trying to change someone. It’s an old book & I didn’t agree with every bit but I would definitely recommend it to someone for even the purpose of knowing they’re not alone!
• 
  Carol

  I lost my parents many years ago, our relationship was not bad but it wasn’t great either. I had a terrible breakdown at the beginning of this year and a lot of stuff “resurfaced”. That’s what made me read this book.
  
  I tried reading it two times before I finally could finish it because I relate way too much with some of the content that I ended up crying.
  
  Anyway, this book helped me understand many things about myself and how I relate to other people… the effect my parents have had in it. Now I’m working on using what I’ve learned from it.
  
  Definitely recommend.
• 
  Lisa

  Read as an audiobook. To roughly para-phrase the author: 'while it can be painful reviewing the past and it's effect on ourselves, it can be affirming and healing to do so'. Definitely recommend if the title chimes a bell for you. This was both re-affirming and explained some of my gut level reactions to events or behaviours.
• 
  Jackie Burgart

  Yikes. This was one written for me. Super helpful to identify behaviors, feelings, and actions from my parents, and how those formed my way of thinking. Definitely helpful reading this while being able to process with a therapist.
• 
  LeaAnn

  People often struggle with exploring their parents’ behavior, fearing that they are being disloyal. The author treats this concern with respect while also explaining the need for seeing emotionally immature parents clearly. She covers different patterns of behavior and motivations on the part of the parents, different experiences of the children and coping styles that emerge, and provides new ways of relating and coping that can offer hope for those who want to continue to have a relationship with their emotionally immature parents.
  
  
• 
  Lara Q

  This book helped me understand my thoughts and feelings. Multiple chapters filled in some blanks for me in my personal life, it also helped to validate some trauma and gave me an insight in healthy relationships. It provided tools and understanding to process and avoid difficulties in the future.
  Great book overall! Recommend reading even if the title doesn’t apply to you cause everyone deals with emotionally immature people on a daily basis. It provides so much insight on how to deal with and not lose yourself in the proces.
• 
  Mandy Crumb

  This was a tough read for me in that I'm still healing from childhood and parental trauma. I read it slowly, a chapter every few days. Frequently I would go back a few chapters and read it again. There's lots of information in an easy to understand way, real testimony from others and a recap of the information at the end of each chapter.
  I recommend this book to anyone who has or is a parent. It offers awareness, healing, and a way to move forward.
• 
  Catherine Rusakova

  “You might call it a filling of emptiness, or being alone in the world. Some people have called this feeling existential loneliness, but there is nothing existential about it. If you feel it, it came from your family.” …indeed
• 
  Stephanie C

  Really really good book on the topic. Well described, constructed and explored. Plenty of vignettes to illustrate the point. Incorporates concepts and work from various individuals into a cohesive framework that I haven’t seen elsewhere.
• 
  Lori

  I learned a lot from this book and so much was familiar, unfortunately.
• 
  Shelley J DePew

  Best book I have ever read! Life changer!
• 
  Martina

  Very helpful and easy to read. Many of people's stories to guide you in understanding the content written about but I personally wasn't a fan or the interruptions.
• 
  Kayla Dodge

  I've never related more to a book - I cried, I was angry, and now processing.
• 
  Olivia

  DNF
• 
  Leslie

  Read about half, enough for the insight I needed. Might get back to finish it sometime,
• 
  Karolina Hajkova

  This book has been a HARD read mostly because I was initially interested in the topic and it made me realize this is not the case for my childhood.
  It went in depth about topics I had no idea fall under immaturity which was interesting. Personally I enjoyed most the past about emotional maturity towards the end and the tips and tricks on how to observe & act on it.