The awakened family A revolution in parenting

*Starred Review* Best-selling author and speaker Tsabary combines the spirit of Thich Nhat Hahn's 1975 classic, Miracle of Mindfulness, with an intensive family-therapy session and the result is a transforming read for any parent. Only when we can separate our fantasies concerning who our children should be from who they actually are can we do justice to their original essence and craft our parenting to allow for this to flourish, says Tsabary. She focuses on the parents' awareness rather than the child's behavior. If you've ever experienced an imperfect parenting moment, or lashed out in anger as the result of a trigger from your own childhood, you'll be comforted to learn that you aren't alone. The author uses examples from her extensive therapy career, nonjudgmental we language, and stories from her own parenting experience to demonstrate her ideas. She takes complex psychology and transforms it into practical, perspective-changing advice. Helpful steps for change are highlighted after each section, and thoughtful poems are also provided for reflection. Copies of Tsabary's best-selling book The Conscious Parent (2010) are still circulating, and she has had appearances on TEDx and Oprah. The Awakened Family is sure to be popular in public library parenting collections.--McIntosh, Joyce Copyright 2016 Booklist

"Parent, heal thyself" is the bold challenge in Tsabary's sequel to her bestselling The Conscious Parent. Tsabary teaches that even the most well-intentioned parental aspirations and expectations can stifle the development and expression of children's authentic selves. She posits that ongoing difficult behavior in children often comes from parents' immature reactions rooted in unresolved hurts, fears, and patterns from their own childhoods. Her solution takes aim at anxiety-producing cultural myths about parenting, replacing the need for control with mindful presence and self-understanding. Tsabary's calm, explanatory approach acknowledges that parents can have a hard time regulating their behavior when provoked. She has the rare ability to inspire parental reflectiveness about adult responsibilities without making the reader feel blamed, belittled, or overwhelmed. Realistic examples of everyday interactions demonstrate how family relationships can be moved to a place of partnership, empathy, and growth. Readers of Tsabary's first book will find this follow-up useful and encouraging, and those starting here will find everything they need without having to refer back. Tsabary's message is an antidote to recent trends such as for "helicopter parenting," teaching respect for children as people in their own right and urging parents to let them thrive. Agent: Jennifer Rudolph Walsh, William Morris Endeavor. (June) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.