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CEN Questionairre

What is Childhood Emotional Neglect?™

Almost everyone realizes that what happens to us in childhood has an effect upon who we become as adults.  The good and the bad: awards, accomplishments, mistreatment or abuse.

It all has an impact.But there is another factor from childhood which has an equal or even greater effect than childhood events, like awards, mistreatment or abuse.  This is a factor that people can’t see or remember.  It’s invisible.  I call it Emotional Neglect.

Emotional Neglect is a parent’s failure to respond enough to a child’s emotional needs.

Emotional Neglect is, in some ways, the opposite of mistreatment and abuse.  Whereas mistreatment and abuse are parental acts, Emotional Neglect is a parent’s failure to act.  It’s a failure to notice, attend to, or respond appropriately to a child’s feelings.  Because it’s an act of omission, it’s not visible, noticeable or memorable. Emotional Neglect is the white space in the family picture; the background rather than the foreground. It is insidious and overlooked while it does its silent damage to people’s lives.

Children who are emotionally neglected then grow up to have a particular set of struggles.  Because their emotions were not validated as children, they may have difficulty knowing and trusting their own emotions as adults.  They may have difficulty understanding their own feelings, as well as others’.  Because an important part of themselves (their emotional self) has been denied, they may find themselves feeling disconnected, unfulfilled or empty.  They may have difficulty trusting or relying upon others.  Many describe feeling that they are different from other people; like something is wrong with them, but they’re not sure what it is.

Childhood Emotional Neglect

Childhood Emotional Neglect

Another way that parents can unwittingly emotionally neglect their child is to fail to give him the structure and rules to live by, like consequences and discipline.  As a result, the emotionally neglected often struggle with self-discipline as adults.

Whatever the level of parental failure, the emotionally neglected have no childhood memories to explain their difficulties. So, too often, they blame themselves.

To this day, Emotional Neglect has been overlooked. Because it’s invisible, unmemorable, and the absence of something (emotional validation), It has been greatly overshadowed by more visible, but also worthy topics, like childhood events, abuse, or trauma.

My goal is to shine a light on this powerful but invisible force. To give people a common language to talk about it, and to offer an explanation to the scores of people who are suffering in silence, wondering what is wrong with them.

Running on Empty Book

Running on Empty

Overcome Your Childhood Emotional Neglect

Meet Dr. Jonice Webb

Dr. Jonice Webb knows that it is possible to recover from Childhood Emotional Neglect (CEN)™ and lead a connected and fulfilled life.

That’s why she is dedicated to shining a light on this powerful but invisible force from childhood. To give people a common language to talk about it, and to offer an explanation to the scores of people who are suffering in silence, wondering what is wrong with them.

She is a recognized psychologist expert with over 25 years of experience, and the author of the best-selling books Running on Empty: Overcome Your Childhood Emotional Neglect and Running On Empty No More: Transform Your Relationships With Your Partner, Your Parents & Your Children.

Dr. Jonice Web

Dr. Jonice Web

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Dr. Webb’s Programs

Free CEN Recovery Training

Free CEN Recovery Training

This free CEN Recovery Training is designed to help you understand what CEN is, how it has affected your life and what you can do to recover. This training is perfect for people who aren’t quite ready to go further with the Fuel Up for Life program.

Click Here to learn more.

In Depth Guide to CEN

In-Depth Guide to CEN

This online training course will help put words to issues you’ve only had a gut awareness of so you can finally make sense of why you have always felt that “something isn’t quite right, but I can’t figure it out.”.

Click Here to learn more.

Fuel Up for Life

Fuel Up For Life Program

This 5-week program is designed to help you recover from Childhood Emotional Neglect and reconnect with your feelings to become the connected, fulfilled person you were meant to be.

Click Here to learn more.

Healing Emotional Neglect

Healing Emotional Neglect with Your Partner

This 5-week program will help you fast-track your ability to get in touch with your feelings when you are with your partner and ask for “what you want” and express your feelings without fear.

I will cover the exact process that I’ve used successfully with thousands of therapy clients to heal emotional neglect within their relationships

Click Here to learn more.

Success Stories

This program changed my life

This program has changed my life. I have had many deep insights into myself that I never understood before learning about CEN, Dr. Webb, and now this program.

I no longer feel so alone

It's wonderful to know that, at last, I can put a name to my condition (CEN) and it's comforting to know that there are others struggling with this condition too. I no longer feel so alone. 

We were pulling at each other emotionally

I’d not known how to approach my elusive emotions, and here was a way in. As everybody explored the lessons and exercises, I heard echoes of my own story. The support was there for me to get over my embarrassment. Soon I realized we were pulling for each other emotionally. What a welcome experience after an emotionally neglectful childhood. I now have tools for emotional awareness I can use every day with myself and others. My relationships are growing deeper and more satisfying.