Peg Streep

About

Peg Streep was a contributor at Psychology Today until her death in 2024. She was the author or coauthor of 15 books, including Daughter Detox: Recovering from an Unloving Mother and Reclaiming Your Life, The Daughter Detox Question & Answer Book: A GPS for Navigating Your Way Out of a Toxic Childhood, and two workbooks, The Daughter Detox Guided Journal and Workbook and The Daughter Detox Companion Workbook, all of which are available on Amazon. Among her other books are Mean Mothers: Overcoming the Legacy of Hurt (William Morrow) and Quitting—Why We Fear It and Why We Shouldn’t—In Life, Love, and Work (Da Capo).

Streep earned undergraduate and graduate degrees in English Literature from the University of Pennsylvania and Columbia University. She was best-known for her work on the mother-daughter relationship, although she frequently wrote on verbal abuse, goal disengagement, narcissism and narcissists, and brain science as well.

Books by Peg Streep

Recent Posts

Imposter Syndrome: Does It Even Exist?

Pop psych buzzwords can capture our imagination, but imposter syndrome shouldn't be one of them.

Coping With a Smear Campaign Post-Estrangement

Despite everything, many are taken aback by the vehemence of smear campaigns. Here's a look at why.

Should an Estranged Daughter Even Try to Reconcile?

"Trying to do the right thing, I put my family in the firing line."

Unloved Daughters and the Problem With "Mother Wounds"

It's an appealing phrase but also inadequate.

Unloved Daughters and the Necessity of Anger

Anger can become an issue for those raised in dysfunctional families. Managing it becomes part of the process of healing.

6 Things Estranged Parents Must Do Before Reconciliation

Familial estrangement has been called an "epidemic" and a "fad" but it's likely we're just finally talking about it. Let's look at what estranged parents can do to fix things.

Why These 5 Myths About Motherhood Hurt Everyone

The myths about motherhood are so ubiquitous that we may not even be aware that they motivate people's words and actions. What are they and how do they end up being so influential?

Why Parents and Adult Children Must Maintain Boundaries

Today, parents are more involved in the lives of their adult children, and familial estrangement is rising. Here are some ideas for how to troubleshoot a strained relationship.

Parents and Younger Adult Kids: Defining the Word "Toxic"

New attention has been paid to the family ties that don't hold up under pressure. Let's look at the word "toxic" and its impact on parents and their young adult children.

Healing From Childhood: Finding Your True Self

People sometimes say they lost sight of themselves, but it's not unusual for children in dysfunctional families to do just that: They may not know who they are.