Sisters and Brothers for Life: Making Sense of Sibling Relationships in Adulthood
Sibling relationships are special in many ways, not least because often siblings are the family members who go through their whole lives together But those relationships can be fraught with strife or tension, bouts of happiness or strain and stress. They can predict and affect other relationships in our lives, and they can offer solace or sadness over the years. Here, Suzanne Degges-White looks at the variety of sibling relationships with an eye to improving both the good and the bad. Using real stories throughout, the author illustrates the broad spectrum of problems (and rewards) that can come from having a sibling.

Examining such factors as the early family constellation, birth order, cultural diversity, and family communication patterns, Degges-White illustrates how these relationships can affect so many other areas of our lives, and considers how adult sibling conflict, rivalry, abuse, and loss influence our lives. She offers suggestions for effective responses to adult sibling conflict as well as enhancing family communication and deepening the sibling connection in adulthood. No matter what the sibling relationship is or has become, this work will help readers consider how situations might be improved or addressed, even if it means letting go of unhealthy sibling relationships.
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Sisters and Brothers for Life: Making Sense of Sibling Relationships in Adulthood
Sibling relationships are special in many ways, not least because often siblings are the family members who go through their whole lives together But those relationships can be fraught with strife or tension, bouts of happiness or strain and stress. They can predict and affect other relationships in our lives, and they can offer solace or sadness over the years. Here, Suzanne Degges-White looks at the variety of sibling relationships with an eye to improving both the good and the bad. Using real stories throughout, the author illustrates the broad spectrum of problems (and rewards) that can come from having a sibling.

Examining such factors as the early family constellation, birth order, cultural diversity, and family communication patterns, Degges-White illustrates how these relationships can affect so many other areas of our lives, and considers how adult sibling conflict, rivalry, abuse, and loss influence our lives. She offers suggestions for effective responses to adult sibling conflict as well as enhancing family communication and deepening the sibling connection in adulthood. No matter what the sibling relationship is or has become, this work will help readers consider how situations might be improved or addressed, even if it means letting go of unhealthy sibling relationships.
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Sisters and Brothers for Life: Making Sense of Sibling Relationships in Adulthood

Sisters and Brothers for Life: Making Sense of Sibling Relationships in Adulthood

by Suzanne Degges-White
Sisters and Brothers for Life: Making Sense of Sibling Relationships in Adulthood

Sisters and Brothers for Life: Making Sense of Sibling Relationships in Adulthood

by Suzanne Degges-White

Hardcover

$51.00 
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Overview

Sibling relationships are special in many ways, not least because often siblings are the family members who go through their whole lives together But those relationships can be fraught with strife or tension, bouts of happiness or strain and stress. They can predict and affect other relationships in our lives, and they can offer solace or sadness over the years. Here, Suzanne Degges-White looks at the variety of sibling relationships with an eye to improving both the good and the bad. Using real stories throughout, the author illustrates the broad spectrum of problems (and rewards) that can come from having a sibling.

Examining such factors as the early family constellation, birth order, cultural diversity, and family communication patterns, Degges-White illustrates how these relationships can affect so many other areas of our lives, and considers how adult sibling conflict, rivalry, abuse, and loss influence our lives. She offers suggestions for effective responses to adult sibling conflict as well as enhancing family communication and deepening the sibling connection in adulthood. No matter what the sibling relationship is or has become, this work will help readers consider how situations might be improved or addressed, even if it means letting go of unhealthy sibling relationships.

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9781442265943
Publisher: Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date: 06/21/2017
Pages: 270
Product dimensions: 5.80(w) x 9.10(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

Suzanne Degges-White, PhD, LPC, NCC, is Professor and Chair of the Department of Counseling, Adult and Higher Education at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, IL. She is a licensed counselor and her research interests include intimate relationships including family relationships and friendship. She is the author of Friends Forever: How Girls and Women Forge Lasting Relationships; Toxic Friendships: Knowing the Rules and Dealing with the Friends who Break Them; and Mothers and Daughters: Living, Loving, and Learning over a Lifetime. She is a featured blogger on Psychology Today website (www.psychologytoday.com/blog/lifetime-connections) and has edited six books on counseling in the community and the schools.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments vii

Preface ix

Introduction 1

Part I Family Constellations, Culture, and Communication

1 Birth Order and Family Constellations 9

2 Cultural Influences on Sibling Relationships 25

3 Sibling Loss in Childhood and Adolescence 39

4 Family Communication and Engagement 55

Part II The Effects of the Past on the Present

5 Sibling Rivalry in Adulthood: Bitter Rivals or Peaceable Companions? 67

6 Family Roles 83

7 Family Secrets 97

8 Taboo Topics 113

Part III Focus on the Present

9 Values Conflicts between Siblings 123

10 Dealing with Sibling Shortcomings 133

11 Siblings and Their Partners 147

12 Health and Well-being Concerns of Siblings 161

Part IV Making Changes for the Future

13 Caring for Aging Parents 171

14 Deconstructing Unproductive Communication Patterns 187

15 Siblings for Life: Closing the Gaps in the Family Circle 197

Appendix 211

Notes 215

Bibliography 235

Index 253

About the Author 257

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