Recovering from Narcissistic Mothers: A Daughter's Guide

This book has been so eye opening for me. As someone who has been in therapy for years recovering, this book provided so many amazing affirmations, advice, examples and validation. It’s hard to put to words what this book has meant for me in my healing, but to the author, thank you for writing this. Too much literature about narcissist parents offers them excuses, forgiveness. The way it is written does not make excuses and I needed that. The tense and tone is amazing. If you’re on the fence, buy this book.

WOW! This book has been the ultimate game changer for me. This has given me the closure that I have needed for 12 years, closure that I knew I would NEVER get from my mother. It is different than others I have read, normally books encourage you to TRY to understand your mothers behaviors and move forward to have a relationship with her, and that is just not possible for everyone. Instead, this author offers advice on 1) how to move forward with a relationship slowly with boundaries/expectations/consequences or 2) how to be content with your decision to cut your mother off and how to deal with guilt that may or may not follow. My mom is in denial and thinks everyone else is the problem, she is explosive, manipulative, and was physically/ verbally abusive to me growing up until I was removed from the home and went to live with my father. My mother denies ever hitting me, even after 12 years. I was manipulated into thinking I was the issue, or I was crazy. This book opened my eyes and I cried almost EVERY page, it was so relatable. I have realized it was never me, I was a child, I was not crazy. This book gave me the validation I have been seeking. Now as an adult, it is not my job to understand my mothers reasoning for her actions, I am in charge now of protecting myself and breaking the cycle. I understand that it did in fact happen, I see how it has effected me and molded me, and now I have the tools I need to change toxic thinking, self blaming, and move forward with my life. I am worthy of respect, love and kindness. Thank you to this amazing author for this book!

This book has helped me tremendously- when I first started reading it, I was tearing up at every other page that described my mother to a T. Growing up, she spread lies about me to other parents to gain sympathy or to spite me, she would tell me that she was going to disown me, she would call the police on friends she didn’t like and lie to the police saying they did drugs just to make me have no friends- and she was very successful at it because growing up, a lot of my friends talked about me behind my back or truly believed the lies she spread around to the point that their parents didn’t want me around me nor did any foster kids or adopted kids involved with CPS that I was friends with could be around me because CPS claimed her to be a “dangerous person”.It has been a long road to healing and this book really validates you when you feel crazy for having to suffer from abuse. You’re not alone - buy this book. I swear it will help you feel like you’re not crazy, and it will validate the things you’ve experienced and set you on a path to recovery.

I loved this book right from the start. The section on Narcissistic profiles was so helpful as sometimes it's hard to really put a finger how to understand the dysfunction if your mother doesn't quite fit one of the profiles. The Enabler and Attachment sections really hit home for me and validated some of what I knew to be true and didn't have the words for it. I found the last part of the book, Breaking the Cycle to be especially impactful and gave me hope and ways to protect myself by clearly stating how setting boundaries is key... and Brenda tells us how to do just that. I found this book essential in giving myself permission to take care of myself, thank you Brenda!!

This book does not help you in any way in how to respond when a NM gives you silent treatment or gaslights you. I bought this book to help me navigate those behaviors . It tries to get you to understand why NMs are the way they are but but gives you no tools on how to deal with what they do. This book also assumes every NM does the same thing. My NM did not sound alot like most of the examples. She has narcissistic tendencies that come and go which quite honestly hurt me dearly. This book didnt help me in any way and I hate I wasted ten dollars on a book of nothing. The positive reviews I think are padded reviews and nothing more. There is no applicable help in this book. I have gotten better advice in the support groups I am in. What a huge disappointment!!!

Wow, I am floored by this book. It walks you through understanding why your mother is this way, how it impacts you, how to heal yourself and how to set boundaries. It doesnt sugar coat but it still acknowledges the very tough feelings that come out of the acceptance you will have to go through in order to move on. I've been healing for awhile but realized I have much more to do through this book, but knowing that healing is possible for me and I can change my life. Please buy this if you are ready to leave denial and make positive and necessary change. I will be sharing with friends who have similar situations as me as well as my partner so they can understand me and be patient with me as I unlearn unhealthy behaviors too. Only healthy relationships from here on out!!

Brenda is a gifted writer. She shows compassion and understanding for those often too broken to realize the actual reason for their despair. Most importantly, she shows them a way out. I enjoyed reading about her experiences and the clients she's helped recover. Looking forward to her next book.

This should be in every NM survivors reading list. So helpful and explained the disease to a T. Wish; had this book 30 years ago. My life would be so different

This is an important book on this topic. It is very painful to realise the implications of having grown up with a narcissistic mother. 'Mother' is where we get our sense of self from and without this role being fulfilled by our own mothers we can feel lonely and like orphans at times. I also found the book 'Healing from Hidden Abuse' good as well as 'Healing Anxiety in Empaths.' Any spiritual/faith based book can help lift one from this sad feeling as well.