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Charles L. Whitfield

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Healing the Child Within: Discovery and Recovery for Adult Children of Dysfunctional Families (Recovery Classics Edition) Kindle Edition

by Charles Whitfield (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

4.6 1,901 ratings

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Dr. Whitfield provides a clear and effective introduction to the basic principles of recovery. This book is a modern classic, as fresh and useful today as it was more than a decade ago when first published. Here, frontline physician and therapist Charles Whitfield describes the process of wounding that the Child Within (True Self) experiences and shows how to differentiate the True Self from the false self. He also describes the core issues of recovery and more. Other writings on this topic have come and gone, while Healing the Child Within has remained a strong introduction to recognizing and healing from the painful effects of childhood trauma. Highly recommended by therapists and survivors of trauma.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Charles L. Whitfield, M.D., is a physician, psychotherapist, and internationally recognized expert on mental illness, behavioral problems, and recovery. He has been on the faculty of the Rutgers University Summer Institute of Alcohol and Drug Studies from 1978 to 2003, and in private practice of medicine and psychotherapy since 1976. He has been voted by his peers as one of the Best Doctors in America every year since 1994. He lives in Atlanta, GA.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Chapter 1
Discovering Our Child Within

The concept of the Child Within has been a part of our world culture for at least two thousand years. Carl Jung called it the 'Divine Child' and Emmet Fox called it the 'Wonder Child.' Psychotherapists Alice Miller and Donald Winnicott refer to it as the 'true self.' Many in the field of alcoholism and other chemical dependence call it the 'inner child.'

The Child Within refers to that part of each of us which is ultimately alive, energetic, creative and fulfilled; it is our Real Self—who we truly are.
With our parents' unknowing help and society's assistance, most of us deny our Inner Child. When this Child Within is not nurtured or allowed freedom of expression, a false or co-dependent self emerges. We begin to live our lives from a victim stance, and experience difficulties in resolving emotional traumas. The gradual accumulation of unfinished mental and emotional business can lead to chronic anxiety, fear, confusion, emptiness and unhappiness.

Denial of the Child Within and the subsequent emergence of a false self or negative ego are particularly common among children and adults who grew up in troubled families, such as those where chronic physical or mental illness, rigidity, coldness or lack of nurturing were common.

Yet, there is a way out. There is a way to discover and to heal our Child Within and to break free of the bondage and suffering from relying on our false self. That is what this book is about.

©2008. All rights reserved. Reprinted from Healing the Child Within by Charles L. Whitfield. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the written permission of the publisher. Publisher: Health Communications, Inc., 3201 SW 15th Street , Deerfield Beach , FL 33442.

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B004FN1S7W
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Health Communications Inc EB (January 1, 2010)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ January 1, 2010
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 2810 KB
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
Print length ‏ : ‎ 173 pages

Best Sellers Rank: #174,241 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #46 in Mood Disorders (Kindle Store)
- #48 in Codependency (Kindle Store)
- #116 in Mood Disorders (Books)

Customer Reviews:
4.6 1,901 ratings

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Charles L. Whitfield

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Charles L. Whitfield, M.D., is a physician, psychotherapist, author and internationally recognized expert on mental illness, behavioral problems, and recovery from addiction and trauma. He was on the faculty of the Rutgers University Summer Institute of Alcohol and Drug Studies from 1978 through 2003, and in private practice of addiction medicine and psychotherapy since 1976. He has also been a consultant and collaborator at the CDC in Atlanta since 1998. He has been voted by his peers as one of the Best Doctors in America every year since 1993. He lives in Atlanta, GA, and is in private practice with his wife, author and therapist, Barbara Harris Whitfield.

For the most up-to-date information about Dr. Whitfield and his work, please visit:

Barbara-Whitfield.Blogspot.com

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5

1,901 global ratings

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Icyangelz

As expected

Reviewed in the United States on May 4, 2024

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It was a good book. One that I will be re reading . It’s one of those type of books

Reviewed in the United States on February 5, 2024

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I’ve been having some mental issues lately and this book has been a tremendous help! I’m going to absolutely highly recommend this book!

One person found this helpful

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Cheyenne

Life changing

Reviewed in the United States on December 6, 2023

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I try to tell everyone about this book now. It has changed my life. I wish i could buy every one a copy.

2 people found this helpful

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Doug

I feel like I still need to heal the child within

Reviewed in the United States on July 21, 2022

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Basically, the only thing I got out of the book is that you need to go to therapy and work your stuff out. Was hoping for this book to give me the answers. But, instead it tells me that I need to go to a session. Go elsewhere to work it out.

7 people found this helpful

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Candace

Great Item

Reviewed in the United States on December 4, 2023

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i highly recomend this book for those who are still sruggleing with PTSD from an abusive child hood.. so very good!

One person found this helpful

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Cathy Gilley

Transforming

Reviewed in the United States on January 23, 2021

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I don’t normally write reviews on books I’ve read. Certainly I read reviews and in part make decisions based upon others reviews.
Briefly, this may be one of the best books I’ve EVER read. It has opened my eyes to understanding my childhood, the depth of my loss and completely grieving leading to an authentic relationship with my inner child and healing. Furthermore, I have been able to safely share my story with one other in such detail that he now understand me better and it’s been such a release for me. It’s hard to articulate how much healing I’ve found through this book. I now realize I can’t go this path, my journey alone. I am learning to trust myself and let go. I’ve a new relationship with my Higher Power, my inner child. It’s changing my relationship with myself and with others. I’ve never known such serenity, such peace. I do feel like I’ve found my way Home. I am grateful that this book “dropped” into my life. My Higher Power is watching out for me. Thank you Dr. Whitfield for your amazing insights and for following your path and sharing it with others.

18 people found this helpful

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JessS

Real Eye Opener

Reviewed in the United States on May 3, 2013

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This is one of the best books I have on my shelf. It targets the underlying problems of dysfunctional families, and it doesn't center on Alcoholism. I use the knowledge I gained almost daily. It goes over the structure of a healthy family vs. an unhealthy one. It reviews the importance of clear communication and expectations. Explains what is meant my "shaming", and the serious impact it has on how we interact with others throughout our lives; as well as the damage that is incurred when we are led to believe that our feelings aren't right and shouldn't be felt. I can't begin to explain the difference this book made. I never understood why I always felt like I wasn't good enough, I hadn't done enough, and how it was always my fault, not just within my family, but with friends and significant others as well. Now I can see patterns, and start to understand where they came from, and stop blaming myself for everything, and start working on the areas I am actually lacking in.
I would recommend this book to about anyone. People who feel bad, who have tough times in relationships, who don't know what to do with themselves, who are work-aholics; as well as those who want to have a healthy family of their own one day.
It's really simple. We are mostly products of our environment. This book shows us aspects of ourselves, and how the environment created these aspects. It doesn't put us down, or say we are irreversibly damaged. The "Child Within" is that part of each of us that is playful and happy and infintesimaly hopeful. That part of us has been taught that it is wrong through our years, and we have lost some of our wonder and fascination with the world around us. This book helps us get back to where we were when watching a caterpillar was the coolest thing in the world.

91 people found this helpful

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Cam Davis

Could be helpful for some people

Reviewed in the United States on September 5, 2020

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I am giving this book 3 stars instead of 1 star because the advice may be helpful for some people. However, it is not scientifically sound.

Just as with any 12-step program, it won't work for many people (in research, this means the method is neither valid nor reliable). Additionally, for the author to assert that spirituality is key for healing dismisses those people who are not and never will be spiritual or religious. Professional advice to rely on an outside being to heal any part of the self is merely trading co-dependencies giving the patient another disapproving parent-like entity to try to please. The entity is entirely conjured in the mind of the patient, and is thus likely to be similar to the person / situation / group that were the impetus to the issues the for which the person is seeking help.

One problem with 12-step methods is that people who make mistakes are "failures" and have to repeat the steps from the beginning. Demanding perfection, which is supposedly something this book is attempting to fix, from people who can have issues with perfectionism can be counter-productive at best. I am not saying that 12-step programs don't work for some people; rather, I *am* saying that there are problems with this clinically unsound method.

In this book, the author dismisses psychotherapy and medication which is outrageous, especially when communicating with vulnerable populations who would often benefit from these services. Whitfield also insists that all inner lives of abused people are inauthentic, naive, and craving spirituality. This may be true for some people some of the time, but stands in stark opposition to most social science research.

If you're looking for better mental health, see a mental health professional. They will probably be glad to discuss this book with you, and they will also offer additional and sound means of healing. If you don't have the money to go to a therapist, or if you distrust therapists, maybe this will be a good place for you to start. I wish you the very best.

28 people found this helpful

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Trevor

Great for a spritual journey

Reviewed in Canada on March 17, 2021

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Great for a spritual journey

Amanda Dipper

As should be

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 23, 2022

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Good condition

Alien

Utile pour comprendre nos blessures

Reviewed in France on November 16, 2019

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J’ai trouvé coque ce livre, même s’il n’est pas transcendantal, était cependant utile pour comprendre les mécanismes de nos blessures d’enfance. Par contre, dans la version Kindle, les tableaux sont souvent illisibles, bien trop petits, et c’est vraiment galère pour arriver à les agrandir. De plus, parfois, même agrandis, ils restent difficilement lisibles.

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Schatzsucherin

Selbst-Therapie

Reviewed in Germany on December 29, 2017

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Wer als Kind in einer äusserlich perfekten, aber innerlich kaputten Familie aufwuchs und manchmal mit sich selbst nicht klar kommt - jedoch nicht weiss, wo das Problem versteckt ist, der sollte zu diesem Buch greifen und es wie ein Arbeitsbuch mehrere Male durcharbeiten. Der Erfolg wird nicht auf sich warten lassen!

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Healing the Child Within: Discovery and Recovery for Adult Children of Dysfunctional Families (Recovery Classics Edition) Kindle Edition

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