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    The One Who Broke You Can't Heal You

    Let Go of Toxic Bonds and Build Healthy Ones

    Author Najwa Zebian
    Hardcover
    $27.00 US
    Harmony/Rodale/Convergent | Harmony
    On sale Aug 25, 2026 | 240 Pages | 9780593580813
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    A validating and prescriptive guide on how to break the bonds that tear us down and create the ones that build us up from the celebrated author of Welcome Home.

    The one who broke you can’t heal you is not just a truth. It’s a turning point. A wake-up call. A release.

    Most of us continue to be bonded to the people who hurt us, waiting for them to give us closure, to see us as worthy of their change or remorse, and to apologize. True healing begins when you stop giving the one who broke you the pen that writes the story of how you heal. Instead, you decide to put your broken pieces back together with the healing threads of self-love and inner wisdom.

    We are bound to people in our romantic relationships and friendships, in our families and at work. And those bonds pull at us in ways that might make us feel stuck, dispensable, or unstable. But bonds with others can also make us feel valued, respected, and truly loved. The One Who Broke You Can’t Heal You explores the seven types of bonds that hold us to people: healthy bonds, convenient bonds, transactional bonds, forced bonds, enabling bonds, toxic bonds, and trauma bonds.

    You can learn to recognize the bonds that weaken you and the ones that strengthen you. You can shine a light on these invisible threads and see which ones need to be released, which ones may need mending, and when it’s time to weave new, healthier threads.

    In these pages, Najwa guides you to
    • let go of the myth of closure and make peace with your past
    • break the patterns and beliefs that keep you bonded to pain and those who caused it
    • reclaim your power in all your relationships
    • plant the seeds for relationships rooted in depth, safety, and authenticity

    With practical actions and personal stories woven throughout, The One Who Broke You Can’t Heal You is a soul-soothing journey to a life nourished by meaningful connections with others—and yourself.
    © Farah Benni
    Dr. Najwa Zebian, Ed.D., is a Lebanese Canadian activist, author, speaker, and educator with a doctorate in educational leadership. Dr. Zebian began to write in an effort to connect with and heal her first students, a group of young refugees. She is the author of seven books that guide readers to navigate hard emotions, including The Only Constant and Welcome Home, and host of the podcast Beyond Words. Her work has been featured in The New York Times, Glamour, Elle Canada, HuffPost, and more. View titles by Najwa Zebian
    “There is a human need to have the people who hurt us, bear witness to that pain. A compulsion that can last for years, or even a lifetime. The One Who Broke You Can’t Heal You reminds us to compassionately understand why we crave that, teaches us how to release it, and recognizes the capacity we each have to bear witness to ourselves.”—Ramani Durvasula, Ph.D., Psychologist and New York Times Bestselling Author of It’s Not You: Identifying and Healing from Narcissistic People

    “Najwa has an incredibly rare ability to take you to an emotionally deep and vulnerable place while also showing you that you are strong and that change is possible. You never feel alone with a Najwa book in your hand—every word she writes lands like a poetic kiss to the heart. You feel seen. You feel understood. And most importantly, you never feel alone.”—Lisa Bilyeu, author of Radical Confidence: 10 No-BS Lessons on Becoming the Hero of Your Own Life

    “This book doesn’t just tell you what to do, it calls you forward. Najwa Zebian offers an unwavering reminder that the people who broke your trust don’t get to control your healing. Instead of chasing validation or explanations, she guides you back to yourself. The exercises are simple but powerful, creating shifts that actually stick. This is a clear, compassionate guide to building relationships that are meaningful, reciprocal, and rooted in self-respect. A true must-read for anyone who is ready to stop waiting for closure and start choosing themselves.”—Misha Brown, New York Times bestselling author of Be Your Own Bestie: A No-Nonsense Guide to Changing the Way You Treat Yourself

    “A compassionate guide to recovering from harmful relationships . . . Zebian valuably challenges familiar notions, including that moving on requires ‘closure’ (a misguided belief that puts ‘all the power of your healing in another person’s hands’), in a friendly, conversational tone . . . The result is an affirming resource for readers looking to sever connections that no longer serve them.”—Publishers Weekly

    About

    A validating and prescriptive guide on how to break the bonds that tear us down and create the ones that build us up from the celebrated author of Welcome Home.

    The one who broke you can’t heal you is not just a truth. It’s a turning point. A wake-up call. A release.

    Most of us continue to be bonded to the people who hurt us, waiting for them to give us closure, to see us as worthy of their change or remorse, and to apologize. True healing begins when you stop giving the one who broke you the pen that writes the story of how you heal. Instead, you decide to put your broken pieces back together with the healing threads of self-love and inner wisdom.

    We are bound to people in our romantic relationships and friendships, in our families and at work. And those bonds pull at us in ways that might make us feel stuck, dispensable, or unstable. But bonds with others can also make us feel valued, respected, and truly loved. The One Who Broke You Can’t Heal You explores the seven types of bonds that hold us to people: healthy bonds, convenient bonds, transactional bonds, forced bonds, enabling bonds, toxic bonds, and trauma bonds.

    You can learn to recognize the bonds that weaken you and the ones that strengthen you. You can shine a light on these invisible threads and see which ones need to be released, which ones may need mending, and when it’s time to weave new, healthier threads.

    In these pages, Najwa guides you to
    • let go of the myth of closure and make peace with your past
    • break the patterns and beliefs that keep you bonded to pain and those who caused it
    • reclaim your power in all your relationships
    • plant the seeds for relationships rooted in depth, safety, and authenticity

    With practical actions and personal stories woven throughout, The One Who Broke You Can’t Heal You is a soul-soothing journey to a life nourished by meaningful connections with others—and yourself.

    Author

    © Farah Benni
    Dr. Najwa Zebian, Ed.D., is a Lebanese Canadian activist, author, speaker, and educator with a doctorate in educational leadership. Dr. Zebian began to write in an effort to connect with and heal her first students, a group of young refugees. She is the author of seven books that guide readers to navigate hard emotions, including The Only Constant and Welcome Home, and host of the podcast Beyond Words. Her work has been featured in The New York Times, Glamour, Elle Canada, HuffPost, and more. View titles by Najwa Zebian

    Praise

    “There is a human need to have the people who hurt us, bear witness to that pain. A compulsion that can last for years, or even a lifetime. The One Who Broke You Can’t Heal You reminds us to compassionately understand why we crave that, teaches us how to release it, and recognizes the capacity we each have to bear witness to ourselves.”—Ramani Durvasula, Ph.D., Psychologist and New York Times Bestselling Author of It’s Not You: Identifying and Healing from Narcissistic People

    “Najwa has an incredibly rare ability to take you to an emotionally deep and vulnerable place while also showing you that you are strong and that change is possible. You never feel alone with a Najwa book in your hand—every word she writes lands like a poetic kiss to the heart. You feel seen. You feel understood. And most importantly, you never feel alone.”—Lisa Bilyeu, author of Radical Confidence: 10 No-BS Lessons on Becoming the Hero of Your Own Life

    “This book doesn’t just tell you what to do, it calls you forward. Najwa Zebian offers an unwavering reminder that the people who broke your trust don’t get to control your healing. Instead of chasing validation or explanations, she guides you back to yourself. The exercises are simple but powerful, creating shifts that actually stick. This is a clear, compassionate guide to building relationships that are meaningful, reciprocal, and rooted in self-respect. A true must-read for anyone who is ready to stop waiting for closure and start choosing themselves.”—Misha Brown, New York Times bestselling author of Be Your Own Bestie: A No-Nonsense Guide to Changing the Way You Treat Yourself

    “A compassionate guide to recovering from harmful relationships . . . Zebian valuably challenges familiar notions, including that moving on requires ‘closure’ (a misguided belief that puts ‘all the power of your healing in another person’s hands’), in a friendly, conversational tone . . . The result is an affirming resource for readers looking to sever connections that no longer serve them.”—Publishers Weekly

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