Thaw: Freedom from Frozen Feelings

THAW - Freedom from Frozen Feelings, is a book about the emotional wounds of abandonment, shame, and contempt created by growing up in a less-than-nurturing family. If you experience abandonment issues, emotional flooding, toxic shame, a pattern of dysfunctional relationships, or you help people who do, THAW - Freedom from Frozen Feelings is a "must have." The book outlines the wounding process experienced by those who were raised in a less-than-nurturing family; how those emotional wounds show up in various personal and interpersonal problems in adulthood. An innovative, easy to understand, integrated model of addiction, codependency, enabling relationships, Adult/Child Syndrome and other manifestations of emotional abandonment is presented. Moderate to severe cases of abandonment comes from situations in which the child does not fully or consistently get their emotional dependency needs met such as when the child lives in a shame-based family system. In such families the children get messages of disapproval through constant criticism rather than messages of approval and warmth. A shame-based family system is characterized by the parent's use of shame to provide direction. Children who get their dependency needs met fully on a regular basis will thrive, flourish, and grow at a healthy pace. Life will be good for these kids. In the worst case scenario, kids who do not get their needs met at all will experience a failure to thrive and many will even die from these emotional wounds, also known as original pain of abandonment of childhood dependency needs. When parents do not meet the needs of their children it is not usually because the parents don't love them. Most parents do the best they can. In fact, I cannot count the times I have heard parents say "I try hard to make sure my kids have it better than I did." But wounded people, wound people. Because of this one might ask, "So, why go back and dig all that up again?" This book answers that question.

About the Author :
Don Carter, MSW, LCSW has been a therapist since 1986 during which time he has been employed at several mental health agencies around Mid-Missouri. He has held positions from entry level up to manager of a chemical dependency program at a large hospital. His primary specialty areas include addictions, codependency, mood disorders, PTSD, and Adult/Child Syndrome. The middle of seven children, Don grew up on a farm with hard-working parents who had their own issues from childhood. The farm work lead to a scholarship to play football at the University of Missouri at Columbia in 1977-79. He followed that with a brief stint with the New Orleans Saints in 1980. That experience was cut short by a developing problem with alcohol and drugs. A series of childhood tragedies and bouts with addictions lead Don to his first encounter with the mental health system when he entered an inpatient treatment program at 29 years old. Don found treatment and recovery such a profoundly gratifying experience that he returned to school, finished two degrees, became a licensed therapist and dedicated himself to helping others find their way out too. The Iceberg Model in his bestselling "Thawing the Iceberg Series" was a product of the years that followed. Don attributes most of the success of that series to his relationship with God. "I really feel I am living the plan He has for my life and carrying a message He wants me to carry."