Kreed RevereI reflect on what reconciliation and listening to other families have added to my understanding. One practical question follows from that reflection: how does a useful idea become part of the way you respond during estrangement or after reconnection?
Kreed RevereAs The Estranged Heart approaches the end of its fifth year, I've been reflecting on how my understanding of my own history has changed. The October 18 episode, A Different View, Part Two, considers the family expectations.
Kreed RevereFamilies teach expectations through repeated interactions. A child may learn that disagreeing leads to an argument, that needing help disappoints people, or that being useful secures their place. Those lessons can follow a person into adulthood.
Kreed RevereTherapy and self-reflection don't necessarily erase old relational pathways. A person can understand their childhood, develop compassion for a parent and become significantly more emotionally regulated—and still become activated.
