How to Survive Your Parents - by Shawn Goodman (Hardcover)

About the Book

"A nonfiction guide for teens to better communication with difficult parents"--

Book Synopsis

Want to improve your relationship with your problematic parents? This honest and supportive guide, written by an experienced teen therapist, will help.

This book is for you―not your parents. Step-by-step, using approaches that are relatively easy but bring big results, you'll be guided in how to improve the important and super-challenging relationship between you and your parents. This doesn't mean you're going to become best friends, but you will learn the skills needed to change how you see one another and how you interact. And ultimately, you will gain control over your own life.

Included are revealing descriptions of various problematic parenting styles, techniques--both verbal and not--for increasing the connection between you and your parents, advice about setting clear boundaries, and sample conversations that can be used as a script. Think of it as therapy in book form: on your side, encouraging and clear, and full of the time-proven advice you won't get from your friends and certainly not from your parents.

Review Quotes

"A practical guide for teens who wish to improve relationships with their parents. The book shines a light on complex family dynamics, offering hope and practical solutions." --Kirkus Review

"By presenting a conflict and dissecting it, the book gives teens tools to understand and validate their emotions, reinforcing that their feelings are legitimate. The literary quality is commendable; the language is clear and relatable for its teen audience. The organization is excellent, with a logical flow that makes the advice easy to follow and apply. A valuable resource for teens navigating the often turbulent waters of parental relationships, offering clarity and actionable strategies."
--School Library Journal

About the Author

Shawn Goodman has worked in the teen mental health field for many years and is currently a psychologist at a high school in upstate New York. He is the award-winning author of Kindness for Weakness and Something Like Hope, both of which were inspired by his experiences working in several New York State juvenile detention facilities. He is also the co-author of This Way Home, written with bestselling author and governor of Maryland Wes Moore. Shawn lives in Ithaca, New York, with his wife and children.