Adult Children of Emotionally Abusive Families

About this book

From bestselling therapist and internationally recognized expert Beverly Engel comes Adult Children of Emotionally Abusive Families, the first comprehensive book to explore how emotional abuse doesn’t just affect couples—it shapes entire family systems, often damaging children in ways that last a lifetime. With decades of clinical experience and a compassionate, empowering voice, Engel exposes the unseen epidemic of emotional abuse in families, when tension, control, criticism, and shame become normalized and every family member suffers the consequences. While emotional abuse is finally being discussed in mainstream popular culture, Engel makes the urgent case that we still aren’t talking enough about its impact on kids—and how parents, both abusive and abused, may be unconsciously perpetuating cycles of harm. Through real-life stories, checklists, and healing exercises, she provides an accessible roadmap for recognizing toxic dynamics, stopping the spread of abuse, and guiding every family member toward recovery. Whether you are an adult survivor of childhood emotional abuse, a partner in an abusive relationship, or a parent concerned about breaking intergenerational patterns, Adult Children of Emotionally Abusive Families offers clarity, validation, and concrete tools for lasting change.