What Is A Healthy Family?

8 Characteristics of A Healthy Family

In order to start we must establish a base line by defining what is a healthy family. A family is the place in which you place your roots. The place that holds the most memories. It’s the foundation and the building block that shaped your personality and your character. It’s where you learn to laugh, or cry, be loved and feel you can be yourself without judgement.

You learn how to relate to others and how to treat others. Our parents model these behaviors early on. Depending on how well of a job they did has a lot to do with the course your life will take. Family is a place where you learn the importance of sharing, also the skill of relating to others. Also the correct way to treat each member. Your family is the place you learn how to interpret all of your surroundings. You learn how to know the difference between what’s right and what’s wrong.

However in a dysfunctional family often the lines are blurred. The boundaries become very unclear. Many times moral dilemmas can and will tend to challenge you. If you however come from a very healthy and adjusted family then your seldom unclear and confused about what the right from wrong thing is to do.

What is A Healthy Family?

The 8 Characteristics

Each member in the house is very committed to each other. The family is seen as a unit committed to live their life supporting each other.
Healthy families spend time with each other. A healthy family believes that it’s important to spend time together and that it be quality time.
Healthy families enjoy open, healthy and very frequent talk and communication. No question asked is considered inappropriate. No one's opinion is treated with disrespect. Certain subjects are not deemed off limits.
A healthy family will turn towards family during times of chaos and crisis. Members of these families will work through any difficult time. A family crisis actually will bring them closer. They see the family as a place for strength and don’t feel the need to look outside of the system.
Members openly express encouraging words of affirmation. Both affirmations and encouragement are very necessary in the family. It helps the other members discover who they individually are and what they do well. This builds personal security.
The members share a spiritual aspect of themselves.The family is connected with a deep spiritual connection.
Each family member trusts each other and work at keeping that trust. The trust is mutual and is built through a respect that is mutual.
The members each enjoy their own freedom and space. Each family member is free to think for themselves, have their own values, try out new things. They can even in a constructive way challenge the old ways that may need improvement.

What Is A Healthy Family?

How does your stack up?

Take a family appraisal. As you take a look back, ask yourself how well you think your family did in regards to preparing you to incorporate these 8 above listed items? Are you upset and finding yourself becoming bitter because you feel shorted by your family? Remember that no family is perfect and that at the end of the day we are all humans doing human things. I am sure you can find one of the 8 from your family.

Seek mental health counseling, marriage or family therapy to help integrate some of the above listed characteristics into your daily life. Call us today at 407-967-1327.