Dr. Susan Forward, one of the gurus of "talk radio" wrote one of the most important books when she penned "Toxic Parents: Overcoming Their Hurtful Legacy." This book has a place of reverence on my bookshelf.

As an only child, I dutifully did whatever I thought my parents wanted me to do and that behavior continued all through my teen years and well into adulthood. I'm not sure if I did it out of fear, love or respect, but I totally lost myself in trying to make them proud. Even after I married, the first thing I asked myself when making a decision was "what would my parents think??" In fact, I put my parents first in my life, even before my husband and myself. It wasn't until my marriage fell apart and my husband left that I discovered this book and realized that I was the child of toxic parents. Dr. Forward's plain talk, honest assessment and steps to detoxify your life was eye-opening for me. And although it was too late to save my marriage, her advice has helped me navigate the polluted waters of my own relationship with my parents.

This is a must-read for anyone who has grown up with controlling and/or abusive parents, even if those parents did not realize what they were doing. My parents did what they did out of their perceived love, mainly because they didn't have their own good role models growing up. However, reading this book will give you a solid understanding about what makes parents toxic and allows you free yourself from past issues and hurt. Dr. Forward also provides solid steps to prevent you from doing some of the same things to your own children.

Although not a pretty title, "Toxic Parents" is helpful and cathartic. I assure you that you will learn a lot from its insightful contents.

Susan Forward's book was groundbreaking in it's definition of problem parents and the dysfunctional families they create. As the title conveys, 'Toxic Parents' are brought out of the darkness of shame, and into the light of hope for any person who was raised by these types of parents.

It was written at a time when the general public was just beginning to associate problems in adulthood with the way they were treated as children.

She aptly describes the various types of parents and identifies their abuse of their children with direct, and sometimes shocking accuracy. Forward also guides the reader in the direction of answers to the question every abused child has, which is, "Why me?"

Each reader will find his or her 'child self' in this book, and will be able to identify the traits of their abusive parents, as well as learn some coping mechanisms to help in their recovery.

After having coffee with a friend one day she lent me this book. I almost didn’t read it, and I almost didn’t open it. I am glad that I gave it a whirl.

Toxic parenting can be cyclical. I recognized some of the behavior of my own toxic parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles in this book, and started to recognize some of that same behavior in myself. This book is designed to help you go thru the stages of healing and overcome the damage done by those toxic relatives, but it can also help you fend off some of those same tendencies within yourself to stop the cycle once and for all. This is the part of the book I found most valuable.

While one chapter suggests that confrontation is important, that isn’t always a possibility for those of us with toxic parents since deceased, but I believe the different coping and healing mechanisms that Dr. Forward teaches are valuable to those brought up in a toxic age. I would definitely recommend this book to victims of any childhood physical or verbal abuse, it was quite the eye opener for me.

I know that this sounds cliché, but TOXIC PARENTS by Dr. Susan Forward really changed my life. I used to believe that I had to be the caretaker in my family, that I had to make sure everyone else was okay except for myself, that if I didn’t do these things everything would fall apart and it would be my fault. The worst part was, I thought this was normal.

But, hey! It turns out that guilting your kid about everything and using her as your crutch isn’t normal! Thank god.

I admit, it took me a very long time to finish this book, because I kept having to put it down for a few days. It was like TOXIC PARENTS was written for me and about me. And, let me tell you, that kind of hurts sometimes. Especially realizing that your parents weren’t actually perfect. I admit, I cried more than once.

Anyone whose parents are manipulative people should read this book. It really honestly helps, both yourself and your relationship with your parents. It’s amazing.

This book could have easily been written with my family growing up in mind. I grew up with an alcoholic father and lay in bed many nights hearing my mother cry as he beat and sexually abused her.

I have four other siblings and 2 are alcoholics, 1 beats his wife in anger.

This book shares and identifies with the adults who saw these types of things growing up. But, the Author also shares that as adults there is no excuse to not make a change in your own life. You don't have to lean on the crutch that "I grew up this way, it's the only thing I know to do". You can change and be the parent every child deserves...loved, cherished etc.

Toxic Parents, gives you ideas and ways to deal with the past and let it go. Some of the resources offered are Counseling and Support groups.

My husband and I made a conscious commitment to make a new heritage free from the detrimental ways we were raised. We raised two biological children and have adopted two special needs children.

I highly recommend this book.

Almost everyone has experienced anger toward their parents at some point in their lives. And most people would say that their parents did the best they could while raising them. But for those people whose anger won't go away...who were abused physically or psychologically...who find themselves failing repeatedly in relationships, work, and other aspects of their lives, this is a very helpful book.

The author explains how we all as children look up to our parents as perfect--whether they were or not, and describes the different types of "toxic parents" ranging from physical and sexual absusers, to controllers, inadequate parents, psychological and verbal abusers, etc.

Many readers will recognize these behaviors in their parents, and, in turn, in themselves, as these behaviors become passed down generation to generation. This book is for individuals who want to STOP the repetitive learned behaviors, ultimately face and confront their parents, and accept autonomy and independence.

This book has many fascinating case studies--especially those in which abuse is subtle and covert, yet abuse nonetheless.

Alot of the material in this book will not be new information to those who have had therapy or read many basic psychology books. However, I recommend it to anyone who has suffered abuse at the hands of their parents, wonders if they did, or even to those who want to reflect on the kind of behaviors they are presenting to their own children.