Understanding the Roles in Dysfunctional Families

by Tara Yombor From family dysfunction to slightly more functional families One of my favorite topics as a therapist, specifically working with clients who are in recovery from addiction, is educating them on the roles in dysfunctional families. While working in treatment centers for drugs and alcohol, inevitably, at least one or two groupsa week would land on the topic of family dynamics. I’ve always said, “you can pick your friends, but you can’t pick your family.” What is family dysfunction? You might be asking, what is a dysfunctional family? What are the roles in dysfunctional families? Is my family dysfunctional? How do the different roles come to exist? How can they “benefit” from each other to create a toxic environment? Let me start by saying that every family is dysfunctional – yes, even yours! It’s important to note that there is no “perfect family.” Human beings are dynamic, flawed, and unique. The intensity and impairment of the dysfunction Read more [...]