(dis)Honor Thy Mother: Daughterhood, Dysfunction, and Deliverance (Original PDF from Publisher)

dis Honor Thy Mother: Daughterhood, Dysfunction, and Deliverance (Original PDF from Publisher)

By Bridgette Peteet

This book offers relatable stories and psychological insight into how childhood experiences—especially trauma—shape adult lives, and how healing can restore a sense of ownership and self-worth.

(dis)Honor Thy Mother focuses on daughters who have experienced parental abuse, neglect, separation, or other adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). It examines why these early experiences can continue to affect women well into adulthood and how resilience, growth, and recovery are possible. Using the ACEs framework, the book blends personal narratives—including the author’s own experience of growing up with an abusive mother—with psychological research and clinical insight.

Each chapter weaves together storytelling, evidence-based psychology, and practical guidance. A central theme is “impostorism,” a common outcome among abused daughters who often become high-achieving women yet feel undeserving of their success. Dr. Bridgette Peteet explores the roots of this impostor phenomenon and offers tools and resources to help women move beyond survival, reclaim their sense of worth, and build healthier identities.

Grounded in academic research, clinical practice, and lived experience, (dis)Honor Thy Mother speaks to recovering adult daughters as well as clinicians, therapists, and scholars seeking a deeper understanding of trauma, resilience, and healing.