Breaking Free of the Co-Dependency Trap [Paperback]

This bestselling book, now in a revised edition, radically challenges the prevailing medical definition of co-dependency as a permanent, progressive, and incurable addiction. Rather, the authors identify it as the result of developmental traumas that interfered with the infant-parent bonding relationship during the first year of life.

Drawing on decades of clinical experience, Barry and Janae Weinhold correlate the developmental causes of co-dependency with relationship problems later in life, such as establishing and maintaining boundaries, clinging and dependent behaviors, people pleasing, and difficulty achieving success in the world. Then they focus on healing co-dependency, providing compelling case histories and practical activities to help readers heal early trauma and transform themselves and their primary relationships.

Breaking Free of the Co-dependency Trappresents a groundbreaking developmental road map to guide readers away from their co-dependent behaviors and toward a life of wholeness and fulfillment.

Breaking Free of the Co-dependency Trapis a welcome addition to the literature on co-dependency. The Weinholds are expert clinicians. Their offering is crucial for establishing the legitimacy of co-dependency as a true life-threatening clinical entity. . . The greatest sense of hope in this book results from the precise and practical tools for recovery that the Weinholds present us.”
— from the foreword byJohn Bradshaw, author ofHealing the Shame That Binds You

“Breaking Free of the Co-dependency Trapis written with clarity, caring, and a strong vision of realistic and healthy alternatives. It is a tremendously important tool for personal as well as social transformation. I recommend it highly.”
—Riane Eisler, author ofThe Chalice and the Blade