Dysfunctional Families: The Truth Behind the Happy Family Facade

by Katherine Mayfield

Overview

Dysfunctional Families: The Truth Behind the Happy Family Facade is a collection of 45 inspirational essays by Katherine Mayfield, author of the award-winning memoir “The Box of Daughter: Healing the Authentic Self,” which help readers recover from the problems caused by a dysfunctional family.

These eye-opening and often humorous essays, originally published on the popular blog TheBoxofDaughter.com, expose many of the secrets that hide in dysfunctional families, and include reflections on Spider Love, the caregiving experience, money, recovering from toxic parenting, learning to live authentically, and much more.

Divided into four groups—Families, Caregiving, Recovery, and Spirituality—the essays offer comfort and insight to readers, helping those who were raised in dysfunctional families to uncover negative messages, heal their pain, gain freedom, and raise self-esteem.

The only way to heal from the trauma of dysfunctional family life and discover who we really are is to expose the secrets we grew up with, see through the illusions we were taught, and figure out what’s really true about our families, ourselves, and the world.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780997612127
Publisher:	The Essential Word
Publication date:	05/09/2017
Pages:	108
Product dimensions:	5.98(w) x 9.02(h) x 0.22(d)

About the Author

Katherine Mayfield is the award-winning author of "The Box of Daughter: Healing the Authentic Self," a memoir describing her journey of recovery from family bullying and emotional abuse; a guide to recovery from bullying, "Bullied: Why You Feel Bad Inside and What to Do About It"; "Stand Your Ground: How to Cope with a Dysfunctional Family and Recover from Trauma"; a book of poetry, a book of essays, two books on acting, and other books on dysfunctional families. She has appeared as keynote speaker for regional conferences, and has presented at schools and libraries across the Northeast on recovery from bullying and emotional abuse.

Ms. Mayfield appeared on NBC-TV's "207" to talk about her work, and has been a guest on radio shows across the country, discussing dysfunctional family issues, recovery from bullying, and prevention of teen suicide. She has written for national magazines, local newspapers, and numerous websites, and has received funding from the Maine Arts Commission for her work.

Ms. Mayfield's memoir, "The Box of Daughter," won awards in the New England Book Festival and Reader's Favorite Awards, and was nominated as a finalist in the Maine Literary Awards.

Along with her books, publication credits include Dance Teacher Now magazine, Dance Spirit magazine, The Significato Journal online, Sasee magazine, The Women's Times, the Greenfield Recorder, Salon.com, TinyBuddha.com, MeaningfulWomen.com, and WomensMemoirs.com. A former actress, she appeared Off-Broadway and on the daytime drama Guiding Light. She blogs on dysfunctional families on her website, www.TheBoxofDaughter.com.

Table of Contents

Families:

Why I Wrote This Book

Spider Love

Maybe It’s Not You

Unwilling Martyr

Disobeying the Status Quo

Let Me Have My Own Life, Please

The Drama Addiction

Beyond the Drama Addiction

That Old Black Magic

The Financial Abyss

Does Money Grow on Trees?

Caregiving:

There is Life After Caregiving

Post-Funeral Detox

Life Force Energy Debt

Caregiver Guilt…and All That Jazz

No, Really, We’re Fine

Dream Healing

Father’s Day

End-of-Life Service

Time to Move On

Taking Care of Yourself

The Dream is the Revealer

Recovery:

Embrace Your Inner Gargoyle

Retraining My Brain

Being There for Yourself

Finding My Own Rhythm

What’s Under the Anger Pile

Living Someone Else’s Deprivation

Inferior? Who, Me?

Letting Go of the Victim Mentality

Getting to the Heart of the Anger

Expect the Best

Clearing the Old Clutter

Whose Worldview Have You Got?

The Blender Effect

The End of Struggle

Not Quite Me, Not Quite You

Spirituality:

Living in Layers

Universe on the Wall

Giving and Receiving

How to Get More of What You Want

Nourish Your Divinity

Invite Yourself In

Who Do Your Parents Think You Are?

Disaster Relief

Nature’s Music

Recommended Reading

About the Author

Editorial Reviews

“Excellent book for a person just starting out on their healing journey or one deep on the path.

Solid recovery activities and guidance. The journaling exercises are thought provoking and can be used alone, or as a complement to therapy.

Will return to this book time and time again.”—The Pierced Librarian, Goodreads.com

“There comes a time in your life where you stand and look back, reevaluating your family of origin's lessons and value system. For the most part, you choose to continue the patterns you were taught. Other times, you realize that you must adjust and carve something completely different for your own family of creation.

This book is a great resource tool in “how” to do that. Katherine Mayfield gives specific ways of coping with what you've discovered as well as provides the proverbial “big sister” helping hand to guide you through the journey.

This is the first book I've read from Ms. Mayfield. I will definitely keep my eye out for her other books and helpful resources.”—Amazon.com

From the Publisher