Tag Archives: Joseph

(Friday, Dec. 2, 2011)              In our last blog we started looking at Joseph as a good example of how to break dysfunction and codependency.  We saw that the key element is being willing to face the pain we carry around from past hurts and rejections.  Try to understand how you fit in the pattern of things in your family.             What wrong roles did you play?  Were you the family Hero (like David) who was addicted to recognition and success, who always had to achieve more and more so he could uphold the family name, and who became an empty perfectionist?  Were you the family Rebel (like Absalom) who deliberately underachieves, who became the family scapegoat who, by getting into trouble, kept the focus off the real problems in the family?  Or maybe you were the family Caretaker (like Abigail), the little parent who was super-responsible, self-sacrificing and did everything … Continue reading →

(Wednesday, Nov 30, 2011)  AREN’T WE ALL DYSFUNCTIONAL?   We live in a fallen world in which nothing is perfect.  No one is perfect, no relationship is perfect, no family is perfect.  We all are dysfunctional in some ways.  It’s inevitable.  We all bring our own emotional ‘baggage; into our relationships.  It’s not a matter of IF we dysfunction but HOW and TO WHAT EXTENT we dysfunction.  Just the same, it’s not a matter of IF we are codependent, but HOW and TO WHAT EXTENT.  All people have difficulties.  All families have difficulties.  What matters is what direction we are heading!  Are our dysfunctions becoming more or less severe?  Are we growing through and out of them, or are they getting more and more control over us? JOSEPH: A VICTIM OF A DYSFUNCTIONAL FAMILY   Joseph’s dysfunction pattern actually started with his great-grandparents, Abraham and Sarah.  To protect himself Abraham said that … Continue reading →