Adult Children of Dysfunctional Parents

I wonder if there is anyone on the planet that doesn’t fit the category of adult children of dysfunctional parents. In my memoir, Following the Whispers I describe my childhood, which clearly shows I am among the group of adult children of dysfunctional parents. My parents, too, belonged to adult children of dysfunctional parents. And I’m sure their parents belonged to adult children of dysfunctional parents as well, and so on and so on. The legacy of adult children of dysfunctional parents continues until someone becomes aware and chooses a different path.

Adult children of dysfunctional parents vary in terms of characteristics. Adult children of dysfunctional parents coming from violent backgrounds have more severe issues and may become sexual predators or commit other acts of violence. Other adult children of dysfunctional parents, like me, are adult children of dysfunctional parents whose own lives suffered as a result. Until I reached my thirties and began therapy, I didn’t even know I was a victim of child abuse. Adult children of dysfunctional parents guess at what normal is, and I had no clue that my childhood had been abnormal. Adult children of dysfunctional parents also have difficulty standing up for themselves, so I believed my inability to leave destructive relationships was my fault.

Following the Whispers describes my parents and their backgrounds—some of the things that made them who they are. I know now that they did the best they could with the skills and knowledge they had as adult children of dysfunctional parents. But it wasn’t enough to give me what I needed. As a card-carrying member of adult children of dysfunctional parents, my life was a mess—until I became aware of these issues and started to heal. Following the Whispers is that journey and as a result, I’ve given up my membership in adult children of dysfunctional parents and am now an adult child of awareness.

Want to know more about adult children of dysfunctional parents? Get your copy of Following the Whispers today!