Family communication patterns describe the ways in which families share information, express emotions and negotiate conflict. Two dominant orientations—conversation orientation, which encourages open ...

“My brother voted for Trump,” said one patient of ours. “I dread hearing him tell me why he thinks the election was rigged. He always takes over the conversation, which makes it hard for me to share ...

Family tensions can test even the most patient individuals, particularly when one becomes the designated mediator. Research suggests that nearly 65 percent of adults experience significant family ...

Family conflicts possess the unique power to wound more deeply than disagreements with strangers, precisely because they occur between people who matter most to us and whose opinions carry the ...

Most family arguments don't start with the obvious thing. They start with a tone, a habit, a phrase that one person finds ...

Family is powerful. Within families, we discover who we are and what we can expect from other people. We learn how to navigate group identity (how we are alike) and individuality (how we are different ...

At one time, the word “family” meant people related by blood, marriage, or adoption. Today the definition embraces the many close relationships that form the foundations of your life — whether you ...

Written in collaboration with Jacqueline Silverstone. In the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, loved ones were reaching out to one another for support. Communication among family members helped ...

If any of these patterns describe you and your spouse, it's probably time to make an appointment for couples counseling. Today I discuss that old stand-by: poor communication. This is blamed for most ...