Back cover: 'It is my feeling that debilitating shame and guilt are at the root of all dysfunctions in families,' says Jane Middleton-Moz....This book describes how debilitating shame is created and fostered in childhood and how it manifests itself in adulthood and in intimate relationships. The author uses myths and fairy tales to portray different shaming environments, to allow the reader to reach the shamed child within and to add clarity to what could be difficult concepts. The following are just a few of the common characteristics of adults shamed in childhood:
1) may suffer extreme shyness, embarrassment and feelings of being inferior to others. They don't believe they MAKE mistakes, they believe they ARE mistakes
2) feel controlled from the outside and from within. Normal spontaneous expression is blocked
3) may suffer from debilitating guilt: apologize constantly
4) have little sense of emotional boundaries; feel constantly violated by others; frequently build false boundaries."