Family myths can be tremendously controlling
and have an amazing capacity to resist change.
Why do these 'stories' have so much
power?
We tend to be pack/group animals and use
these family narratives to create solidarity within our group. The group gains strength to the extent that
all members buy into the rules.
When someone breaks the rules, they
usually get labeled as an outsider. We
perceive them as a distortion, which is part of the way the group explains the
'defection'.
DANCE WITH IT! EXPERIENTIAL APPS
An opportunity to experiment with some fun ideas…
Think about your own birth family…
What were their rules
or belief systems?
These are
the defining characteristics that your family operated under - the ways they felt
different from other families - usually defined as better!
Did you or any other
member ever step away from these mandates?
How were you
treated?
Remember, these
rules have such staying power that we are often unconsciously operating under
them even years after the actual group is gone!
