When Difficult Relatives Happen to Good People : Surviving Your Family and Keeping Your Sanity

by Leonard Felder

• ISBN13: 9781579547639
• ISBN10: 157954763X
• Format: Trade Book
• Copyright: 2003-11-08
• Publisher: Rodale Books

Summary

The overly critical mother-in-law....the grown daughter who stirs up trouble....the brother who delights in resurrecting childhood rivalries. We all have a relative who manages to push the buttons that threaten to send us over the edge. When Difficult Relatives Happen to Good People provides straightforward, easy-to-follow advice on tempering the toxic effects of difficult relatives and transforming tense family occasions into times of celebration and sharing. Writing with humor and understanding, Leonard Felder, Ph.D., explains how to: -Decide which relatives can be reached with aheart-to-heart talk and which ones must be kept at a distance -Clarify and come to terms with money, status, and competition issues that lead to family eruptions -Find creative solutions for the religious disagreements and value clashes that often tear families apart When Difficult Relatives Happen to Good People proves that even if you can't change your relatives, you can change how you respond to them.

Author Biography

Leonard Felder, Ph.D., is a licensed psychologist and coauthor of the best-selling Making Peace with Your Parents. As a recognized national expert on improving difficult family situations, his books have sold more than a million copies and have been translated into fourteen languages. Dr. Felder has appeared on Oprah, NBC News, CNN, CBS' The Early Show, A.M. Canada, National Public Radio, and ABC Talkradio. He lives in Los Angeles.

Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION	xi
CHAPTER ONE: WHY DO CERTAIN RELATIVES UPSET YOU AT SUCH A DEEP LEVEL?	3	(22)
CHAPTER TWO: WHEN AND HOW TO CHANGE A FAMILY PATTERN YOU DON'T LIKE	25	(38)
CHAPTER THREE: FIVE WAYS TO IMPROVE FAMILY GET-TOGETHERS AND HOLIDAY VISITS	63	(30)
CHAPTER FOUR: WHAT TO DO ABOUT RELIGIOUS DISAGREEMENTS AND PRESSURES TO CONFORM	93	(24)
CHAPTER FIVE: HOW TO RESOLVE FAMILY BATTLES ABOUT FOOD, WEIGHT, CLOTHES, AND APPEARANCE	117	(24)
CHAPTER SIX: WHY FAMILIES GET WEIRD ABOUT MONEY, STATUS, AND COMPETITION (AND WHAT YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT)	141	(34)
CHAPTER SEVEN: HOW TO DEAL WITH DRUGS, ALCOHOL, AND OTHERADDICTIONS IN YOUR FAMILY	175	(34)
CHAPTER EIGHT: IS THERE ANYTHING YOU CAN DO ABOUT RELATIVES WHO ARE INTOLERANT?	209	(28)
CHAPTER NINE: WHAT IF THERE'S BEEN SERIOUS PHYSICAL OR EMOTIONAL ABUSE?	237	(24)
CHAPTER TEN: HOW TO MAKE SURE FUTURE GENERATIONS WILL HAVE AN EASIER TIME	261	(26)
APPENDIX: ABOUT THE RESEARCH STUDY	287	(6)
SOURCES AND SUGGESTED READINGS	293