We believe that when time-tested connection practices are applied to family systems, innate tendencies in each person naturally produce healing, trust, and renewed relationships — which support intergenerational communication and collaboration. This, in turn, leads to enrichment of the lives of the living, the honoring of ancestors, and the welcoming of future generations.
There are many conditions and factors that contribute to family legacy outcomes, for better and for worse. Disharmony and conflict are all-too-common characteristics, and frequently lead to estrangement and the dissipation of family wealth in its many forms. We believe that many of the difficulties families and their members face are related to disconnection or challenges in connection with each other, within themselves, and with the world around them. When families undergo generational transitions, latent individual, family and cultural conflicts and trauma can become significant inhibitors to peaceful, regenerative nurturing of family trust, resources and relationships.
Our research — and the research of many others (e.g., Siegel and Bryson, Zack, Narvaez and Schore) — has shown that when people experience increased connection with themselves, one another, and the natural world, their nervous systems become more relationally resilient and alive. They develop positive, regenerative attributes including happiness, vitality and empathy. Taken together, these attributes of connection have a remarkably positive impact on the functional integrity of the family and intergenerational legacy, transforming feelings of being misunderstood and not valued into acceptance, inclusion and love.
We assert that by applying routine practices of connection and building them into family systems, families naturally become a caring and cooperative culture as they experience increased safety and trust. Moreover, as their sense of belonging and welcoming of their contribution is strengthened, each individual within the family has a greatly enhanced likelihood of attaining his or her inherent potential as each expresses their inborn gift.
Ultimately, the practices that we utilize not only produce dependable results — they are easy to learn and apply — both in our work with families and in our own lives. We call this field of work Regenerative Family Dynamics©.
- The Yes Brain: How to Cultivate Courage, Curiosity and Resilience in Your Child, Seigel and Bryson, 2018
- https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/how_stories_change_brain
- Neurobiology and the Development of Human Morality, Narvaez and Schore, 2014