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.