Defiant but Not Broken: Guiding Children with Conduct Challenges Toward Healing and GrowthA compassionate roadmap for parents raising children with conduct disorders, oppositional behavior, and emotional dysregulation.
Raising a defiant or behaviorally challenged child can feel like navigating a storm without a compass. The outbursts, resistance, and emotional distance can leave even the most dedicated parents feeling exhausted, isolated, and unsure of what to do next.
In Defiant but Not Broken, clinical psychologist Anthony Atkins, PsyD. offers a deeply empathetic and research-backed guide for understanding the root causes of conduct challenges-and nurturing real, lasting change through connection, structure, and emotional growth. This book goes beyond quick fixes and punitive discipline to address the deeper emotional, neurological, and relational struggles that drive defiant behavior.
You'll discover: - How to identify the difference between defiance, trauma responses, and conduct disorder
- Strategies for building trust, emotional safety, and strong attachment
- Tools for managing aggressive behavior without power struggles
- Techniques for promoting empathy, emotional regulation, and accountability
- Guidance on working with schools, therapists, and support systems
- Self-care practices for parents navigating guilt, burnout, and frustration
Whether your child is struggling with conduct disorder, oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), or ongoing behavioral issues, this book empowers you to lead with both compassion and clarity. With the right tools, healing is not only possible-it's within reach.
You are not alone. Your child is not broken. And with every step, you're building a path toward growth, resilience, and hope.
