Self-Parenting: The Complete Guide to Your Inner Conversations

by John K. Pollard III, Linda Nusbaum (Illustrator)

SELF-Parenting is the BEST, FASTEST, and MOST EFFECTIVE program to love, support and nurture your Inner Child. WHY? Because it's provides a SIMPLE, CLEAR, and PROVEN path to developing the WISEST skill set for your Inner Parent to begin communicating directly with your Inner Child. 
It also has the additional benefits of being the QUICKEST and LEAST EXPENSIVE way to build intimacy and trust with your Inner Child. This is the book that introduced the term "inner child" to the psychology profession.Would you like to "Become Your Own Loving Parent?" (The Adult Children of Alcoholics)
If you are a member of the ACoA 12-Step Program, you can now seriously begin to work on your own recovery. The Complete Guide to Your Inner Conversations provides a direct method to achieve this inner work.
If your Outer Parenting was harsh or abusive, it's now known in modern psychology that this creates a state of harsh and abusive "Self-Parenting" within your Inner Conversations.
SELF-Parenting is the original book that created and launched the "inner child" movement among the addiction recovery therapists in California and around the world in the late 80's.
Since this time thousands of readers have learned the true traits of the Inner Parent and Inner Child voices within every person.
If you are truly ready to become a loving Inner Parent to your Inner Child, NOW is the best time to start.
Through a daily practice of just 30 minutes a day, structured correctly, you can undo years of self-doubt, self-abuse, and destructive thought patterns.

Genres: Self Help, Nonfiction, Mental Health, Psychology

276 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 1987

Reviews

[Russel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this book. It was interesting because it really made me explore my self-speak and how I thought about the world, which was quite profound. It also made me realize that I deserve to be loved and treated well in every way.

[Mark Manderson · Rating 1 out of 5]

Extremely quick read with explanation and tools from the early 80s of our internal dialogue. It's dated and the research available now covers far greater aspects than this book. Pretty basic info.

[Crimmas · Rating 4 out of 5]

I initially read this back in 2018 in therapy, and at the time it was particularly appropriate. I decided to reread it in this healing period in the fallout of my life’s greatest crisis.
As a concept, it’s strong. I think the practice of *literally* getting in touch with your inner child is very beneficial and healing. I’m someone who had a decent childhood prior to puberty, but still carries baggage from the abuse dealt to me in school. So despite a considerable amount of arrested development, it still helps me. Enough so that it began to influence me creatively.
It was harder to get into on the second read because it very much comes off as an entry-level self-help book. By the time I started rereading it I had actually published articles on pop psychology already. Also, the instructions seem to me to be a little too specific and narrow. There should be some more wiggle room, I think, once someone has established a routine.
Either way, I consider it a helpful guide and practice that I intend on keeping up with to the best of my ability, and returning to the book in the future if need be, despite its flaws and age.

[Six · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book definitely opened up my eyes to the beauty that is self-care and self-exploration. I highly recommend this light read for people who have trouble with reading long books. It's definitely a good start to my 2021 Reading Challenge. This book is such a good primer for my daily habit building and learning more about myself. Highly recommend this version because of how simple it is and straight to the point. It's a beautiful self-help book that I would re-read again.

[Corina Gonzalez · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book helped me realize a lot of things about my childhood and healing myself we need to be kinder to ourselves. I really love a book that I can relate to and something that will help make me a better person.

[Nadia · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book wasn't a revelation but at the same time it felt good to read some of the inner conversations that other people entertain in their head.

[Jessy Masse · Rating 5 out of 5]

An extraordinary tool to heal your past and move to the future

[Isabella · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read and used this book in the early 90s at a time when I really needed to redesign my life. I don't remember much from reading the book but the exercises were priceless and a cornerstone in my recovery from a chaotic upbringing and abusive marriage. After a while I started deviating from the suggested dialogue and just let the dialogue flow. I can't quite imagine how just reading the book would make much of a difference.

[Ginny · Rating 1 out of 5]

I didn't find this book offering any new information. In the 21st Century, isn't the general public already aware that negative self-talk is detrimental? I could have saved time just looking at the Table of Contents.

[Molly · Rating 3 out of 5]

A basic but profound concept that's easy to digest. Very quick read.

[Lori · Rating 3 out of 5]

I still have to do the actual journaling part, so I can't say how much I like it yet. :)

[Jake · Rating 4 out of 5]

Recommended by my therapist. Will stay with me for a while. Made me kinder to myself. Sometimes was a little silly but ultimately very helpful

[Bec Sands · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great way to reconnect with the inner child.

[Gina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting!