Table Of Content“The Power of Validation is an immensely valuable book about helping our
children feel worthy and valued. It is written with a compassionate convic-
tion, backed by empirical evidence, and illustrated with vivid anecdotes. The
wisdom of these words touches us not only as parents, but as humans longing
to be validated for who we are. What greater gift could we possibly give our
children than to lovingly recognize, accept, and validate their lives?”
— Brent LoCaste- Wilken, LCSW, CEAP, adjunct professor at the
University of Houston Graduate College of Social Work
“Validation is the number- one skill in improving relationships with children
of all ages, partners, family members, and even colleagues in the workplace.
The Power of Validation by Karyn D. Hall and Melissa H. Cook details how
and why each of us should master this powerful skill. This is a must- read book
for parents and teachers of young children, and most definitely a refreshing
and creative reading experience for all who value rewarding relationships!”
— Jim and Diane Hall, family educators for the National Alliance
on Mental Illness and the National Education Alliance for
Borderline Personality Disorder
“The Power of Validation is a veritable roadmap for parents. The destination
charted on this roadmap is the creation of a child who has healthy self- esteem
and can face the slings and arrows of daily life with confidence and resilience.
Parents and those who are anticipating the challenges of parenthood will
richly benefit from spending some time with this superb new book.”
— Glen O. Gabbard, MD, The Gabbard Center in Houston, TX
“Never before has a book about parenting tackled the seemingly simple topic
of validation. In this groundbreaking guide, the authors reveal the amazing
power of validation in the development of a strong and healthy child. As we
learn how validation galvanizes identity and bolsters self- esteem, we also
learn about the wreckage of invalidating environments— a delicate subject
compassionately addressed by the authors at every turn. In short, a must- read
for every parent, a treasure for anyone wanting to boost their emotional intel-
ligence, and a string of pearls for mental health clinicians of every stripe.”
— Kimberly A. Arlinghaus, MD, associate professor of psychiatry at
Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, TX
“The Power of Validation is a welcome addition to the field. It takes the con-
struct of validation to a practical level, providing exercises that help readers
go beyond the written word. The audience for the book should include par-
ents as well as mental health professionals, given its important focus and user-
friendly approach.”
— Perry D. Hoffman, PhD, president of the National Education
Alliance for Borderline Personality Disorder
“In The Power of Validation, Karyn D. Hall and Melissa H. Cook provide a
roadmap for building the right emotional foundation for your child’s life suc-
cess. Recognizing and accepting your child’s feelings is an easy addition to
your parenting skill set as well as an elegantly simple and powerful antidote to
the pressure of figuring out how to raise competent, successful children.”
— Kay M. Albrecht, PhD, early childhood teacher educator at
Innovations in Early Childhood Education, Inc., in Houston, TX
“As a pediatrician and mother, I have read hundreds of parenting books, but
this one boils it all down into one easy concept. I have found this book to be
an invaluable parenting tool in my own home as well as in my practice. If you’ve
grappled with issues such as bullying and peer pressure, this book provides a
tried and true solution that will bring harmony to your relationship with your
children and give you a sense of competence in your role as a parent. The
authors’ down- to- earth writing style makes the hugely powerful concept of
validation relevant and effective for all parents. It is truly a fresh perspective on
parenting.”
— Pamela R. Carmain, MD, FAAP, clinical associate professor in the
Department of Pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine in
Houston, TX
“Validation makes us feel like we matter. It makes us feel like our feelings are
not wrong. With validation, we have a stronger and closer bond with our
parents.”
— Stuart, age 15, David, age 13, and Caroline, age 11
“The Power of Validation is a welcome resource for any parent, teacher, or clini-
cian who wants to optimize their effectiveness in contributing to any young
person’s emotional development. Hall and Cook have written an easy- to- read,
compassionate book that describes the importance, process, and challenges of
validation with clear instructions, examples, and practice exercises that can
teach and hold the interest of a family member or professional at any level of
education or experience. We will definitely refer both family members and col-
leagues to this book as a tool for teaching the power of validation to promote
emotional stability, self- esteem, and effective collaboration in any young
person.”
— Lois W. Choi- Kain, MD, clinical instructor in psychiatry and
director of the Gunderson Residence of McLean Hospital
“The Power of Validation is a must- read, no matter how old your child may be.
What an eye- opening experience it is to practice validation on a regular basis.
The struggles and conflicts disappear and compassion and love emerge. It’s a
win- win for parent and child and helps parents build a stronger, healthier rela-
tionship with their children. I wish I had these tools when my kids were tod-
dlers, but it’s never too late to start. Even my seventeen- year- old daughter is
much more willing to communicate and share her feelings the more I practice
validating her. Thank you for writing this book and empowering me to make a
change in the way I listen and respond to my kids.”
— Michelle Fredricks, mother of two in Houston, TX
“Quite simply, this is one of the most powerful and effective parenting books I
own. It is an invaluable tool for raising emotionally balanced kids.”
— Kristine J. Madorsky, MEd, LPC, teacher and elementary school
counselor in Houston, TX
“Validating our children does not always come naturally, but is a true gift that
we can learn to give to the people we love. I have witnessed immediate healing
results when I use this concept with my children, my husband, and in my other
relationships.”
— Jennifer A. Kearns, MEd, parent and teacher
“Wow— it truly works! If you are like me, an exhausted, busy parent, you are
constantly looking for ways to help your family that don’t take too much time.
This book gently reminds the reader why it is so important that our children
feel validated to ensure they are emotionally stable and self- reliant. The best
recommendation comes from my children, who now share that they feel more
confident in their ability to make decisions.”
— Jana Ames, managing director of an international consulting
company and mother of twins
THE POWER OF
VALIDATION
Arming Your Child Against Bullying,
Peer Pressure, Addiction, Self-Harm
& Out-of-Control Emotions
KARYN D. HALL, P D
h
MELISSA H. COOK, LPC
New Harbinger Publications, Inc.
Publisher’s Note
This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information in regard to the
subject matter covered. It is sold with the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in
rendering psychological, financial, legal, or other professional services. If expert assistance or
counseling is needed, the services of a competent professional should be sought.
Distributed in Canada by Raincoast Books
Copyright © 2012 by Karyn D. Hall and Melissa H. Cook
New Harbinger Publications, Inc.
5674 Shattuck Avenue
Oakland, CA 94609
www.newharbinger.com
Cover design by Amy Shoup; Acquired by Catharine Meyers; Edited by Nelda Street
All Rights Reserved
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Hall, Karyn D.
The power of validation : arming your child against bullying, peer pressure, addiction,
self-harm, and out-of-control emotions / Karyn D. Hall and Melissa H. Cook.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references.
ISBN 978-1-60882-033-7 (pbk.) -- ISBN 978-1-60882-034-4 (pdf e-book)
1. Emotions in children. 2. Identity (Psychology) in children. 3. Validation therapy. 4.
Parental acceptance. 5. Parenting--Psychological aspects. I. Cook, Melissa H. II. Title.
BF723.E6H35 2011
155.4’124--dc23
2011027874
To my children, who remind me daily of the importance of validation.
To my husband, Douglas. I would not be a therapist, much less an author,
without your support.
— Melissa Cook
For my mom and Chris. They know why.
For Melissa, who had an idea one day. Look what happened.
— Karyn Hall
Contents
Foreword . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vii
Acknowledgments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .xi
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
1 Understanding Validation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
2 The Importance of Validation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29
3 Applying Validating Parenting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
4 Why Parents Invalidate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
5 Ways Parents Invalidate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
6 Validating Parenting in Depth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .99
7 How to Apply the Levels of Validation to
Validating Parenting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
8 Dealing with Roadblocks to Your Success . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
