Raising Myself: A Memoir — Of Neglect, Shame, And...

described it as a "gut-wrenching, cleareyed coming-of-age memoir" with clean writing that serves the heavy subject matter.

The memoir details Engel’s experience growing up with a neglectful and narcissistic mother, effectively being on her own from the age of four. Key themes include: Raising Myself: A Memoir of Neglect, Shame, and...

The book follows her through a "minefield" of childhood characters—including religious fanatics and child molesters—and her struggle to avoid falling into cycles of crime or self-destruction. Engel used her personal history to inform her

Engel used her personal history to inform her thirty-year career as a therapist specializing in abuse recovery. According to Simon & Schuster , she has written over twenty self-help books, including The Emotionally Abused Woman and It Wasn’t Your Fault . Published in 2018, the book chronicles her traumatic

is a raw, candid memoir by Beverly Engel , an internationally recognized psychotherapist and expert on abuse recovery. Published in 2018, the book chronicles her traumatic childhood and her ultimate journey toward healing and self-reinvention. Core Narrative and Themes

and Amazon highlight the book's "brutal honesty" and its message of hope for fellow survivors.