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Struggling with difficult family relationships? Read advice from our counsellors at The Mix
Aife
Community Manager Posts: 3,044 Boards Guru
Hi everyone,
For our campaign at The Mix around relationships, our counsellors have shared some advice for those who don't have a straightforward relationship with their family members. They have been created into images for Instagram and I thought I'd share them here too for anyone that needs them
For our campaign at The Mix around relationships, our counsellors have shared some advice for those who don't have a straightforward relationship with their family members. They have been created into images for Instagram and I thought I'd share them here too for anyone that needs them
Image description: a dark green background with a few hearts around a text bubble that reads: "Be kind to yourself, it’s not easy coping with a difficult family. Give yourself space away from the difficult family members when you start to feel overwhelmed. For example, ‘a toilet break’, going to the shops or having some time away in a different room."
Image description: a dark green background with a few hearts around a text bubble that reads: "Sometimes you need to get away from family for a little while and that's okay. Spend time on your hobbies, it helps make space at home when you feel like there isn't any. And above all be kind to yourself."
Image description: a dark green background with a few hearts around a text bubble that reads: "If spending time with family is difficult for you, it's ok to say 'no'. Sometimes we are expected to spend time with people because they are 'family', when the truth is this doesn't mean you get on. If you meet someone who's not family and they say things which hurt your feelings, you'd choose not to be in their company. Well families are no exception to this, so you can make the same decision. You have the right to say 'no'."
Image description: a dark green background with a few hearts around a text bubble that reads: "Practise breathing techniques when not around family to help calm nerves around thoughts of being around family. Also, have conversations with someone who you feel more comfortable with about how you are feeling. You can't choose family, but you can choose friends".
Maybe somethings don't get better, but we do. We get stronger. We learn to live with our situations as messy and ugly as they are. We fix what we can and we adapt to what we can't. Maybe some of us will never fully be okay, but at least we're here. We're still trying. We're doing the best we can. That's worth celebrating too ❤
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Comments
Thanks for sharing this post with us created by the counsellors. Thanks also to the counsellors for writing these tips! They are super important and valuable. I can only say I agree with all of them