What makes you the person you are today? Most of us would say that we are the result of a lifetime’s worth of experiences, both good and bad. Many of us might point to our formative years – adolescence or childhood – in having the most influence on shaping our life’s journey. For a significant number of people, those early years left emotional scars that don’t necessarily fade over the years. When therapists refer to family of origin issues, they could be referencing experiences like:
- witnessing volatility or violence between parents
- suffering verbal, physical or emotional abuse as a child
- being raised by an unusually harsh or critical parent
- the loss of a parent or sibling and its impact on family
- early years spent in foster care or other non-traditional arrangements
- other traumatic experiences
Aside from these more pronounced examples of situations that may leave emotional scars, cultural differences and the general family dynamic might also shape a person in ways that impact their lives for many, many years. We learn communication patterns, coping skills, and other key interpersonal habits during this same time period.
Exploring, understanding and addressing the long-lasting implications of those formative years are important objectives, particularly when considering your adult relationships. Family of Origin issues can find their way into our marriages, child/parent relationships, and other family and non-family connections we make as adults. Through treatment, we can neutralize those negative impacts.
Getting help with Family of Origin Issues
A number of therapeutic options are on the menu at LifeLens when it comes to Family of Origin issues. Our counselors are trained in a number of techniques and patients can expect to both explore the root of relationship issues that spring from earlier years, as well as develop skills to cope with or even overcome the resulting patterns shaped by the early family dynamic.
Working with you to identify an effective approach to therapy is what we do best at LifeLens