How To Bring Up Your Dysfunctional Family Role In Therapy

Calling Home members have learned about the many roles that can emerge in a dysfunctional family. You may have recognized yourself in one or more of these roles, or you may see a family member and want to learn how to interact with them in a healthier way. We always recommend that our members take this information to therapy if and when they want to explore the themes on a deeper, more personal level.

How To Bring Up Your Dysfunctional Role In Therapy

• Start by sharing the roles that you most identify with with your therapist. They can help you further explore this role and why you see yourself taking on these qualities or behaviors.
• If you recognize other members of your family in specific roles, you can also bring this up to your therapist. Your therapist should be able to help you identify how each of these roles is helping to maintain one another.
• You may want to take the Your Family Role: 5 Journal Prompts worksheet to your therapy session. Your therapist can help you work through your answers to these prompts.

As always, we recommend seeking help from a therapist who is knowledgeable about family systems and how family roles emerge within a dysfunctional family system. Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists have additional training in family systems and will be knowledgeable about these roles. You can ask your therapist:

• Do you work with people trying to understand their role in a dysfunctional family?
• How would you help me stop playing this role in my family?
• Can you help me understand how my family’s dysfunction led to each of us taking on these roles?
• How will you help me understand the roles people play in my family?