Families seem to attract conflict naturally. The complexities of family relationships can be traumatizing to those closest to the conflict and disruptive to an extended family. Often disputes are deep-seated and convoluted, and when unresolved, cause havoc to the whole family. Communication, if you can call it that, ends in arguments, avoidance, tension and resentment that can adversely impact relationships for a lifetime.
Mediation is often the most effective way to deal with many conflicts that arise in families. When preserving relationships is desirable if not vital, mediation is a constructive way to resolve issues among family members. Timely intervention can lead to lasting results, and a pro-active approach in the earliest stages of dispute is recommended.
The following are examples of family problems that can be mediated:
- Parent/Teen - Parents feeling as though they've lost control over their teenager - and teenagers believing that parents are unreasonable.
- Adult Children - Issues arising when adult children move back into the family home.
- Disability - Family members need to create a plan that works for everyone.
- Household Responsibility - Issues related to obligations within the home, guidelines on curfews and school attendance, responsibilities expected of adolescent family members, chores expected of adult members.
- Intergenerational Issues - Adult siblings making difficult decisions regarding care of their elderly parents.
- Probate - Division of personal property among family members when a will is vague.
- Nontraditional Family Issues - resolving conflicts arising from gay or lesbian family structures.
Family mediation is the ideal setting to plan for and anticipate issues before they become problems or emergencies. It can help families overcome established patterns of behavior and create a new, peaceful family history. Please contact us if you would like us to help get your family communicating.
