Mothers who can't love: a healing guide for daughters

Susan Forward, Ph. D., author of Toxic Parents, offers a powerful look at the devastating impact unloving mothers have on their daughters--and provides clear, effective techniques for overcoming that painful legacy. In more than 35 years as a therapist, Forward has worked with large numbers of women struggling to escape the emotional damage inflicted by the women who raised them. Subjected to years of criticism, competition, role-reversal, smothering control, emotional neglect and abuse, these women are plagued by anxiety and depression, relationship problems, lack of confidence and difficulties with trust. They doubt their worth, and even their ability to love. Filled with compelling case histories, Mothers Who Can't Love outlines the self-help techniques Forward has developed to transform the lives of her clients, showing women how to overcome the pain of childhood and how to act in their own best interests--From publisher description.

pt. 1: Identifying the mother wound. The taboo of questioning your mother's love ; The severely narcissistic mother ; The overly enmeshed mother ; The control freak mother ; Mothers who need mothering ; Mothers who neglect, betray, and batter -- pt. 2: Healing the mother wound. The beginnings of truth ; Acknowledging the painful feelings ; Tapping the wisdom in your anger and grief ; Change your behavior, change your life ; Setting boundaries ; Deciding what kind of relationship you want now ; The most difficult decision ; Old, sick, or alone : the suddenly dependent mother ; Coda: Connecting, at last, with the good mother.