| A popular image of a family is one dad, one mom, 2.25 kids, one dog. |
| Each family has "rules" in addition to "roles". |
| I believe the role of the family is: |
| Think of the family as a house; each member is a room. |
| Often, when a family is having problems, family counseling helps. The counselor can help you see the interactions from a new direction and help you initiate change. Many family dilemmas can be viewed as problems that can be solved. |
| FAMILY |
| More important than what constitutes a family, is the role of the family. |
| to nurture and support the members of the family |
| to provide food, shelter, and safety |
| to encourage physical, emotional and spiritual growth |
| The reality is that that has never been true for US families and certainly is not now. |
| If those rules are too rigid, there is no room for growth. If they are too loose, there is no safety. |
| Each member has the right to privacy, to shut or open the door to her or his room. |
| Each member of the family must know the "role", the "rule" and the "boundaries". |
| Likewise, if the door to the house is missing or always open, there is no safety. If the door is barricaded or never open, the members cannot grow. |
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| ABUSE
ANXIETY CHILDREN COUNSELING DEPRESSION DREAMS FAMILY HYPNOSIS INDIVIDUAL PARTNERS SENIORS TALK THERAPY TESTING TRANSITION WAR |
| © Margaret L. Cunningham, PhD 2002 |
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| Dr. Maggie |
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