Climbing Your Tree

Most of us have experienced our happiest and most meaningful times with our family. However, many have also experienced their angriest, saddest, and sometime most hurtful times with them too. We have all thought about our own family of origin and wondered how they have affected us.

Perhaps you have a parent or grandparent whom you admire greatly and seek to emulate. Perhaps some of your family traits are so embarrassing that you choose to eliminate them from your own life!

When you are dating or in a serious relationship with someone, it doesn’t usually take very long before you become aware of their family-of-origin “baggage”. Things are just a lot easier when family members are respectful and accepting, but that is not always the case. Some relationships are in crisis due to a person’s family history/issues or just very difficult relatives. When one marries, they are not only marrying the person, but also the person’s family!

If you ever wondered if behavioural, cognitive or emotional patterns in your family are contributing factors to your distress, come in and have a chat with one of our counsellors. You might discover more about yourself and your family of origin, and discover a little more about who you have become today. You might even find strength when you identify positive family patterns and discover a legacy you are a part of.

Article by Lainey Weiss, General Counsellor

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Counsel@CrossCulture is open to everyone, 9.00 am - 1.00 pm weekdays ( phone: 9639 3875; email: counsel@crossculture.net.au). Appointments may also be made online at: http://appointment.counselcc.net.au.

General Counselling: $10—$70 max an hour (sliding scale) — No Referral Required.

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