Psych Doctor Offers Solutions in New Book, WHAT'S WRONG WITH MY FAMILY?

"What's Wrong with My Family?," a new book by psychiatrist Gary Malone with his sister, award-winning writer Susan Mary Malone, says that nearly everyone can trace their adult problems back to their childhood and a dysfunctional family unit.

"To some extent, just about all of us deal with the problems of an imperfect family. They are the norm, not the exception," says Dr. Malone, a distinguished fellow in the American Psychiatric Association. "But that's okay because most of us are able to lead productive lives despite coming from a dysfunctional family unit - and we can heal our wounds from earlier in our lives."

"Forget "Leave it to Beaver," adds Susan Malone. "Normal families are more like 'The Twilight Zone.'"

The first step in dealing with deep-seated issues inherited from a dysfunctional family unit is to recognize they exist, Dr. Malone says. That includes understanding where they come from.

"What's Wrong with My Family?" explores a variety of issues, from growing up with parents who constantly fought to suffering sexual or other physical abuse. In conversational, often light language, the Malone siblings explain how these problems may affect the children in adulthood and what they can do to compensate and avoid repeating the same mistakes.

"A healthy family is one that creates structure and boundaries, shows love and respects autonomy," Dr. Malone says. "If your dysfunctional family unit did not have these characteristics, you may not even recognize that they were missing," says Susan. "We try to raise awareness with this book and offer a how-to for healing old wounds and moving closer to a path of wellbeing."

Amazon reviewer Randy Mitchell called it a wonderful read, "The authors delve deeply into the different types of family units, and how they influence who we are," Mitchell writes. "I found it to be well-written, informative, and filled with solid advice from a renowned, practicing psychiatrist. I recommend it highly to anyone who's interested in learning more about family dynamics. It's fun, entertaining, and very easy to read."

About Gary L. Malone, M.D.

Dr. Gary Malone is an Associate Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Texas Southwestern and a teaching analyst at the Dallas Psychoanalytic Institute. He is a distinguished fellow in the American Psychiatric Association with board certifications in general and addiction psychiatry. He has worked in hospitals and private practices for more than 30 years. Dr. Malone is director of Adult Chemical Dependency Services at Millwood Hospital in Arlington, Texas.

About Susan Mary Malone

Award-winning writer and editor Susan Mary Malone is the author of the novel, "By the Book," and three nonfiction books, including "Five Keys for Understanding Men: A Women's Guide." More than 40 of the book projects she has edited were purchased by traditional publishing houses. She is Dr. Malone's sister.