April 30th, 2025
Have you ever thought or said a version of that statement…about your mom or dad? If so, you’re not alone. Some of us long to be understood by our parents, oftentimes after years of not feeling it. Even if we see and talk to them regularly, we feel misunderstood, unimportant, or ignored emotionally.
We wonder what we can do differently. Surely there’s a way to approach them, to talk to them, to find the right words.
We keep trying…often times to no avail. “What am I doing wrong?” “What’s wrong with me?” We ask ourselves such questions, feeling bad about ourselves. We’re trying to understand, to figure out what to do next.
If you’re one of these people, you might benefit from reading the book “Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents” by Lindsay C. Gibson, PsD. While the book came out in 2015, it continues to grow in popularity. One of the reasons is that the author so clearly lays out the situations many of us find ourselves in with our parents, with plain language. She explains what is going on and how we might manage these challenging relationships.
You might think “How can my parent, a grown adult, be immature?” It’s more than possible. It happens all of the time. If your parent has difficulty empathizing with you, doesn’t show curiosity about your experience, and/or brings the discussion back to themselves, it’s possible that your parent is emotionally immature.
By reading this book, you begin to see how that relationship with your parent has affected you as an adult, both with them and with others. You also can begin to move into relationships based on desire versus obligation.
If you find yourself in a frustrating relationship with your parent, you likely will find this book helpful. And if you find this book helpful, you might consider continuing the journey through therapy. Healing from the pain and negative self-image can help you live life more fully and freely.
If you’re looking for a therapist, feel free to contact Mike Giordano at 202-460-6384 or Mike.Giordano.MSW@gmail.com.