There are many interesting and promising strategies on how to deal with emotional immature persons and their so-called "emotional takeovers" which they use to "dominate" (or to get their needs met). A great companion to books on boundaries. It does not touch on emotional toxic and stressful workplaces, but I can see the proposed strategies being usable at different places. I thoroughly enjoyed the book. I found it interesting to read about emotional immaturity in general (Gibson presents 4 types of emotional immaturity). It allows the reader to connect the upbringing of others with the irrational ways they sometimes behave (e.g. extreme people pleasing in others, or - a connection Gibson suggests herself: why people can get into cults). Obviously, emotional immaturity in parents can be extremely distressing and damaging for their children (and the emotional immaturity of those persons hints at their own difficult upbringing). And there are a lot of emotionally immature people out there and they are difficult even for people who are not in a family relationship with them. I wholeheartedly recommend this book, particularly to those whose childhoods included induced guilt or shame. So many of my interactions with EI people and parents leave me feeling resentful, and I struggle to put my finger on what exactly happened, often blaming myself for being weak or angry. The book has given me more clarity, explaining what emotional maturity looks like and how many of us feel around it, versus emotional immaturity and how we might feel. When someone gets really upset when I don't do what they want, it's pretty understandable for me to feel fear and guilt. Who wants to see their boss or parent fall apart? That's painful and scary! Emotionally mature people may be disappointed when I say no, but they can keep their world together. Their stability doesn't depend on me. They respect my existence and needs as separate and equal.

The last chapter even proposes strategies to improve a difficult relationship to an emotional immature person one encounter a time. Strategies are proposed on how to lead the communication towards positive and effective grounds. This response inadvertently tells children that their experiences aren’t ‘bad enough’ to feel emotions about, and/or that their body’s natural emotional experience is wrong, selfish, and something to feel shameful about,” she says.Gibson goes to great length to define and describe what she means by ‘emotionally immature’ people. It felt a little stereo typical in the way it portray the adult children versus the immature parent and I think the relationship between these parties is extremely complex. More often people who have emotionally immature parents respond equally immaturely in conflict with them. Dan W. Briddell, PhD, licensed and board-certified clinical psychologist with over forty years of clinical practice experience, and author of The Love Bug and Other Tales of Psychotherapy

This book has validated so much for me, shown be where I still need to focus and improve, highlighted some bad habits I still need to break, but it has also given me space to breathe. To feel one step closer to “normal.” Her books are LOADED with wisdom, insight and actually extremely useful and spot on advice on how to manage difficult relationships with emotionally immature people.

Practical Tools to Establish Boundaries and Reclaim Your Emotional Autonomy

This is a supplemental guide that supports author Lindsay C. Gibson’s other book Adult Children Of Emotionally Immature Parents. Sometimes emotional immaturity in parents looks like emotional unavailability. This can come through in behaviors that seem aloof, disinterested, or unconcerned with a child’s needs. Fortunately, the brilliance of Gibson’s book sheds the light of understanding and provides the keys to healing for countless recovering individuals. This book is readable, relevant, grounded in solid science, and yet so accessible to the person searching for answers and healing from their wounds. It is a must-read for every student of human behavior and every mental health professional.”

Shame is a feeling / emotion (thus it eventually passes), not a definition / statement of my worth.Sometimes not responding is the best response. Disregarding unwanted behavior is an effective way of decreasing its frequency. This can happen either overtly via insults and arguments, or covertly by consistently making themselves the topic of conversation, or via subtle little jabs and slights etc. Keeping this compassion in mind, it’s possible to improve your relationship dynamic with emotionally immature parents. Zobolas and Louis recommend: