Parentification: When the Child Becomes the Parent

Family of origin wounds are a result of unmet emotional needs, neglect, or harmful patterns that exist within the family unit. In response to these experiences, children may develop coping mechanisms that can continue into adulthood, affecting their interactions and emotional well-being. One such ...

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Healing From Family of Origin Wounds: The Authoritarian Parent

Parenting.  Arguably one of the most challenging and rewarding roles that a person can take on in life.  A role we are often expected to just know how to perform because we have been parented for most of our early lives.  For some, this “on-the-job” training has instilled a sense of security that ...

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The Deep Wounds of Playing Favorites

Is there a “black sheep” in your family? One that’s not so much like the others, whether in personality, temperament, or even physically? Many families will deny the existence of a “black sheep,” often because the presence of a black sheep requires the balance of its counterpart, “The Favorite.” But ...

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Healing Family of Origin Wounds: The Permissive Parent

What does the phrase “permissive parent” make you think of? I often think of Regina George’s mother from the film Mean Girls. Mrs. George provided her high school-aged daughter (and her friends) with adult beverages and made it her prerogative to be her daughter’s “bestie.” I’m also reminded ...

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Easter: Let It Be Today!

SureHope Counseling and Training Center wants to wish you and your family a very happy Easter! As we approach the Easter holiday, while thinking about “healing family of origin wounds” that we have been focusing on this year, I cannot help to think about where ultimate healing of families take ...

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Wounds of a Mostly Happy Childhood

Healing from family-of-origin wounds may seem irrelevant if you remember mostly a happy childhood. Maybe even more so if you were “raised in the church.” Consider these words from a wise pastor and author of “Emotionally Healthy Spirituality” who asserts that spiritual maturity and emotional health ...

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Healing from Being Parentified

Perhaps you have heard the term “parentified”, and by hearing it, you may be able to draw some conclusions of what it is. However, many people do not understand the lasting impact this can have and may also not know how to heal. Let’s first begin with defining what being parentified is, and then go ...

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Healing from Toxic Family Patterns

In the beginning “God looked upon all that He had made, and indeed, it was very good” (Genesis 1:31). The term "very good" signifies the perfection and harmony of creation before the fall of man. This divine evaluation and approval indicates that everything was functioning according to God's perfect ...

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Healing from a Fear-Bonded, Low-Joy Childhood

One of the most significant types of bonds between two people is the bond between parent and child.  The impact of this formative relationship, forms the foundation for a felt sense of safety and security, while establishing a framework for future relationships.  Joy is a vital experience for ...

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