Family dynamics are always tricky to navigate, especially around the holiday season. Dr. Jessica Lougheed focuses her research on family dynamics, and specifically on conflict resolution. In this episode she shares two important scales family can use to measure a healthy family dynamic:
1) family cohesion: the balance between separateness and connectedness
2) family flexibility: the balance between stability and change.
Family conflict is a natural part of human life and can be healthy if it’s resolved in an appropriate way.
Dr. Lougheed also gives practical techniques for resolving conflicts. Some examples include meta communication where families talk about how they communicate, defensive statements, mindful listening, and “I” statements.
Most importantly, she shares how emotional repair after conflict can lead to better connections within relationships. This episode will help prepare you for navigating your family dynamics this holiday season and beyond!
Key Takeaways
Dr. Jessica Lougheed Bio:
Dr. Jessica Lougheed holds a PhD in Developmental Psychology from Queen’s University (Ontario, Canada). She is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of British Columbia Okanagan, where she leads the Emotion Dynamics Lab.
Her research is focused on emotional development in adolescence, specifically, how emotion dynamics between parents and adolescents are related to mental health and well-being.
She is especially interested in dynamics related to conflicts, and in what ways conflicts with parents may be a typical part of adolescent development versus when conflict dynamics may be associated with adjustment difficulties.
Links:
My research website: https://jplougheed.com
Websites with information for parents on adolescent issues:
Center for Parent and Teen Communication: https://parentandteen.com
Center for the Developing Adolescent: https://developingadolescent.org