Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents

If you grew up with an emotionally immature, unavailable, or selfish parent, you may have lingering feelings of anger, loneliness, betrayal, or abandonment. You may recall your childhood as a time when your emotional needs were not met, when your feelings were dismissed, or when you took on adult levels of responsibility in an effort to compensate for your parent’s behavior. These wounds can be healed, and you can move forward in your life.

In this breakthrough book, clinical psychologist Lindsay Gibson exposes the destructive nature of parents who are emotionally immature or unavailable. You will see how these parents create a sense of neglect, and discover ways to heal from the pain and confusion caused by your childhood. By freeing yourself from your parents’ emotional immaturity, you can recover your true nature, control how you react to them, and avoid disappointment. Finally, you’ll learn how to create positive, new relationships so you can build a better life.

Discover the four types of difficult parents:

• The emotional parent instills feelings of instability and anxiety
• The driven parent stays busy trying to perfect everything and everyone
• The passive parent avoids dealing with anything upsetting
• The rejecting parent is withdrawn, dismissive, and derogatory

Table of Contents

1 How Emotionally Immature Parents Affect Their Adult Children’s Lives

2 Recognizing the Emotionally Immature Parent

3 How It Feels to Have a Relationship with an Emotionally Immature Parent

4 Four Types of Emotionally Immature Parents

5 How Different Children React to Emotionally Immature Parenting

6 What It’s Like to Be an Internalizer

7 Breaking Down and Awakening

8 How to Avoid Getting Hooked by an Emotionally Immature Parent

9 How It Feels to Live Free of Roles and Fantasies

10 How to Identify Emotionally Mature People

About the Author

Lindsay C. Gibson, PsyD, is a clinical psychologist and psychotherapist with more than thirty years’ experience working in both public service and private practice. Her books—including the New York Times bestseller, Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents—have sold more than a million copies, and have been translated into thirty-seven languages. In the past, Gibson has served as an adjunct assistant professor, teaching doctoral clinical psychology students clinical theory and psychotherapy techniques. She specializes in therapy and coaching with adults to attain new levels of personal growth, emotional intimacy with others, and confidence in dealing with emotionally immature family members. Gibson lives and works in Virginia Beach, VA.