Impact on Family Systems
Bob Campbell, Psy.D., M.Div.
MKSN Conference
April 20, 2013
Family Differences
“Happy families are all
alike; every unhappy
family is unhappy in its
own way.”
- Tolstoy
Interconnections
Interconnections
Interconnections
Trauma
Mom
Child
Trauma
Child 2
Dad
Child 3
Triangles
Triangles



Triangles
Mom
Child
Trauma
Child 2
Dad
Child 3
Homeostasis
• Every system works to maintain itself
• Change increases stress
Triangles
Mom
Child
Trauma
Child 2
Dad
Child 3
The Effect of Childhood Trauma
• Stress and stress response
• Every situation is different
• Diathesis/stress model
• Connections may be broken
• Sense of being understood is lost
• Feeling intensely vulnerable
Self-Protection
System Out of Whack
Guilt
• “I did something wrong”
Shame
• Guilt says “I did something wrong.”
• Shame says “I am something wrong.”
• Embarrassment
• Silence
• Stuckness
Blame
• Blaming the perpetrator
• Blaming the church
• Blaming the structure
• Blaming God
• Blaming the family
• Essence of blame – a struggle
to understand and interpret
This is even more complex …
Rigidity
Rigidity
• Secrecy, decorum, rules, and shame
• Related to faith stance
• Black and white thinking
• Oughts, shoulds, and can’ts
Boundaries
• Open and closed systems
• Family rules
Depression
Isolation
Anxiety
Post-traumatic Stress Disorder
• Flashbacks
• Re-experiencing
• Avoidance
• Distress
• Hypervigilance
• Irritability
• Comorbid mood disorders
Even more complexity
Brokenness from Outside
External Trauma
Family
Perpetrator
Survivor
Brokenness from Inside
• Most important relationships
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•
Trusted
Empowered
Authorities
Connected with Faith
• Loss of connection, attachment
• Abandonment
• Betrayal
• Development of shame from lack of attachment
Internal Brokenness
Family
God
Church
Internal Brokenness
Survivor
Family
World
Ripple Effects
Repetitive Traumatization
• Learned hopelessness
• Impact on developmental schema
• Loss of meaning
• Withdrawal from social support
TRAUMA
Healing the Family System
Seeking Assistance
Keeping Healthy Boundaries
Opening Lines of Communication
The F-word
• Alternatives
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•
•
•
•
•
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Letting go
Softening
Learning assertiveness
Learning self-care
Defusing
Working toward, rather than against
Finding purpose
Increasing Flexibility
Resilience
Dr. Bob Campbell
rcampbell@willowwellness.com
www.willowwellness.com