“In your dreams!” I hear many of you thinking as you read this tile, and for many of you that is true. Having family discussions about important issues can be a disaster for everyone involved depending on the emotional maturity of the people involved. And let’s face it, families can be triggering for the most holy of holies. A friend of mine always used to joke that he could tell how much personal development work had actually integrated in the previous year when he saw his family.
For these families, if there are important issues to discuss, going to family therapy can be the best way. In therapy, there are rules around behaviour and an outsider to facilitate the process when things get heated or stuck.
For other families, who have a culture of not communicating, it might be the case that practice makes perfect. If you are the cycle breaker in your family, it might be up to you to initiate the change. It is normal to feel vulnerable and the discomfort of experimenting with something at first, but the benefits of more open and authentic communication can change your whole family dynamic.
The next post will give you a framework to use if you think more open communication could be useful in your family.
So much love to you all,
Jen
