THE BOOKS THAT BREAK THE SILENCE—AND BEGIN THE HEALING
Two powerful tools.
One truth-telling mission.
Tammy S. Drost’s award-winning memoir and companion workbook guide survivors of covert narcissistic abuse from recognition to recovery—and beyond.
My Mother Was an Asshole: How to Recognize, Survive, and Heal from Covert Narcissistic Abuse
The book that names what others won’t.
For years, Tammy lived in silence under the weight of covert narcissistic abuse—the kind that leaves no visible scars but cuts the deepest.
From the outside, her mother was charming, generous, and admired. Behind closed doors, she was manipulative, controlling, and emotionally cruel.
Through raw honesty and hard-earned wisdom, Tammy offers more than a memoir. She gives survivors the language for what they’ve lived through, validation for what they’ve felt, and hope for what’s ahead.
Readers will learn how to:
Recognize the hidden patterns of covert narcissism
Rebuild self-trust after years of gaslighting and invalidation
Break generational cycles and reclaim their voice
Begin healing from the trauma they were taught to minimize
Whether you’re just realizing what happened or deep in the process of recovery, this book helps you see the truth, believe yourself, and start to heal.
My Mother Was an Asshole: The Healing Companion Workbook
A Guided Journal for Survivors of Covert Narcissistic Abuse
The next step in your healing journey.
Awareness is powerful—but healing requires practice.
Created as the guided companion to the award-winning memoir, this trauma-informed journal gives survivors the space, structure, and support to process, release, and rebuild.
Healing begins with truth. This workbook helps you live that truth—one page, one prompt, one realization at a time.
Each section mirrors the memoir’s chapters and helps you move from understanding to transformation through reflective prompts, affirmations, and grounding tools.
Inside, you’ll find:
Guided journal prompts to explore your experiences safely
Reflection exercises to identify patterns and triggers
Empowerment practices to rebuild confidence and boundaries
Healing affirmations to anchor self-worth and resilience
Beautifully designed and deeply supportive, the workbook becomes your safe space to write, reflect, and reconnect with the parts of yourself that deserve peace.
Getting Real with Yourself
Healing begins with truth. For years, survivors bury their stories under shame and silence. This book cracks that silence wide open—giving you the validation, the words, and the strength to finally say:
It happened. It mattered. And I will heal.
The Stories We Carry
Behind every smile can be a story of survival. This book speaks the unspoken—validating what others tried to erase.
Breaking Free
Recognized in the Press
Tammy S. Drost’s My Mother Was an Asshole has been honored with the Literary Titan Gold Book Award for its raw honesty and powerful roadmap to healing. Praised as both a deeply personal story and a practical guide for survivors of covert narcissistic abuse, the memoir continues to spark global conversations about truth and recovery.
YOUR HEALING BEGINS HERE
Two Books. One Healing Journey.
Two powerful tools to help you move from recognition to recovery—and from silence to strength.
The award-winning memoir is available in Kindle, Paperback, and Hardcover.
The Companion Workbook is available in Paperback to support your healing journey with guided reflection and growth exercises.
WHAT PEOPLE
ARE SAYING
“Raw, plainspoken, and piercingly honest, Tammy S. Drost’s memoir is both deeply personal and universally relevant. My Mother Was an Asshole belongs on the shelf of every survivor ready to break free.”
— Thomas Anderson, Editor in Chief
Literary Titan
“The workbook helped me process emotions I didn’t even realize I was still carrying. It turned awareness into actual healing.”
— Jenna R., Survivor & Reader
“Every page felt like she had been in my house, watching my childhood unfold. This book is a mirror for those who have lived through it—and a map for those ready to heal.”
— Rachel C., Daughter
Survivor of Covert Narcissistic Abuse
“As a Special Education Teacher with nearly three decades of experience, I’ve seen firsthand how covert narcissistic abuse hides beneath the surface of so many students’ struggles. Tammy’s honesty and insight make this book a lifeline for survivors and those who support them.”
— Terri B., A Grateful Special Education Teacher
Connecticut Public Schools
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© Copyright 2025. Tammy S. Drost and Blackbird Rising Press. All rights reserved.