Young adulthood is a difficult period for navigating family relationships. While many young adults may feel “trapped” in their childhood home, they may feel completely aimless living on their own. As they move out of home and become more independent, their relationship with their parents is bound to change. However, this can make it harder for young adults to try to reconnect with their families when they play a different role in their lives.
Avoiding the Black Sheep Phenomenon in Families
Many families have at least one “black sheep” in the family, who has different interests than the group or struggles to connect. It might be the sole liberal in a family of conservatives. Or an athlete descended from a line of scientists. Often, young adults who are struggling with mental health issues may worry about becoming the black sheep of the family, especially if they’ve taken a “nontraditional path” in life. Some young adults who fear being misunderstood or judged by their family try to isolate from them.
Commenting on or questioning the black sheep’s opinions or choices can be perceived as a judgment or lack of acceptance by the black sheep, even when that was not their intention. This is why open communication is essential to repairing family relationships. It is important for young adults to feel comfortable expressing their fears of being inadequate, excluded, or rejected in relationships. Often, when these fears are expressed, family members are surprised that they believe this might be true and try to offer evidence to the contrary. The goal is not to assign blame. Rather, the goal is to help chart a new way forward.
Rediscovering Your “Family Spark”
blueFire PulsaR, a wilderness program specifically designed for young adults, uses a family-centered approach involving parents in a comprehensive program to reconnect the entire family through a family systems process. We work with the entire family, often including siblings, to help family members reconnect as a unit, despite their individual differences in personality, interests, or communication styles.
The Family Spark Workshop is an immersive family therapeutic experience where parents get a chance to see first-hand the behavioral changes being made at our therapeutic wilderness program. The focus of the Family Spark Workshop is helping parents learn how to transition positive changes home. During our workshop weekend, families learn about the program, how to repair relationships and gain a better understanding of therapeutic processing as a family unit.
During the Family Spark Workshop, we work on:
- Family reunification
- Equine therapy
- Adventure activities and processing
- Family therapy with primary therapist
- Parent workshop to provide tools for future success
- Review of psychological testing when appropriate
- Comfortable overnight camping
- Evaluation and planning for future plans
blueFire PulsaR Can Help
blueFire PulsaR is a co-educational wilderness therapy program for young adults ages 18-28. This program addresses emotional, social, and behavioral problems in young adults who are experiencing “failure to launch” syndrome. Adventure therapy, wilderness ventures, equine therapy, academic opportunities and “family spark” are used to help students open up and look at their life. From there they are able to experience growth and adopt healthy self-management skills. This program is dedicated to helping students regain a better sense of the world around them while addressing their emotions and needs head on.
For more information about family therapy in wilderness programs, contact us at 1 (844) 413-1999. We can help your family today!