Raising Myself: A Memoir of Neglect, Shame, and Growing Up Too Soon - Paperback

by Beverly Engel (Author)

No one could have imagined how as a child Beverly Engel could have managed to become who she is today--an internationally known expert on abuse recovery and the best-selling author of twenty-two self-help books. This is the raw, candid story of how she made her way in the world in spite of her mother's neglect, unreasonable expectations and constant criticism; in spite of being sexually abused, first at four years old and then at nine; and in spite of being raped at twelve.
Raising Myself takes readers on a remarkable journey, showing us how Engel, who was basically on her own from the age of four, learned how to cope with a neglectful, narcissistic mother while being surrounded by a cast of characters that included eccentrics and misfits, a religious fanatic, child molesters, rapists, and hoodlums. It is a soul-searching memoir about how she came dangerously close to the edge of becoming a child molester, a criminal, and a suicide, and how she battled her inner demons and struggled to keep her heart open and to "reinvent" herself so she could follow her dream of making something of herself. Powerfully inspiring and unflinchingly honest, Raising Myself is a story of remarkable resilience and insight.

Author Biography

Beverly Engel is an internationally recognized psychotherapist and an acclaimed advocate for victims of sexual, physical, and emotional abuse. She is the author of twenty-two self-help books, including four best-selling books on emotional abuse: The Emotionally Abused Woman, Encouragements for the Emotionally Abused Woman, The Emotionally Abusive Relationship, and Healing Your Emotional Self. Her latest book, It Wasn't Your Fault: Freeing Yourself from the Shame of Childhood Abuse with the Power of Self-Compassion, came out in January of 2015. Many of her books have been chosen for various book clubs, including the One Spirit Book Club, Psychology Today book club, and Behavioral Sciences book club. Engel frequently lends her expertise to national television talk shows; she has appeared on Oprah, CNN, and Starting Over, and many other TV programs. She has a blog on the Psychology Today website, and regularly contributes to the Psychology Today magazine. Engel is a licensed marriage and family therapist, and has been practicing psychotherapy for thirty-five years.