10 Aug Family of Origin: You can run but you can’t hide.
The Inescapable Truth
Family of Origin therapy has its roots in the various ways our early life directly and indirectly affects our present life. In other words, what once was, often affects us still. Equally as interesting is that it also affects what our future holds for us. We have developed belief systems, and a number of triggers, along the way growing up. It is remarkable just how many of these outdated beliefs about ourselves and others seep into our daily life and influence our decisions and actions. Sure, some of these early-developed beliefs might have seemed reasonable at the time, such as when we are young and new to the complexities of life. Are they helpful now, or are they keeping us stuck in a place we don’t want to be? Family of Origin therapy seeks to help you understand these developmental issues so you can be freed of old assumptions and move ahead as an adult.
Are you aware of what emotional difficulties you suffer that are rooted in the past? It is not uncommon for many to say that “what is past is past.” But is it? Ignoring how our early years and “inner child” impacts us today often sets up a cycle of symptoms we continue to experience. After all, while we can’t change the past, we can effectively deal with the beliefs we have developed and correct faulty information. When we do this, we are freeing ourselves of emotional constraints that have tugged at us for years.
Think about it, when you were a child did you have the capability to understand things occurring around you with clarity? Could you draw conclusions that were accurate, and could you understand the nuances of why things may have played out as they did? Our brains are designed to force reaching some level of comfort with events around us, and so if necessary we “make up” stories to explain it, or to feel some level of resolution. But can these early stories always be accurate? Not from what I’ve seen. There are so many I have seen who are now exploring the messages and actions of their loved ones – particularly parents – that have molded their perspectives and beliefs in ways that are not particularly helpful. Breaking through this effect is what we do in Family of Origin Therapy.