"Our family is to be loved, cherished, valued, and protected. But it should never be abused, devalued, falsely accused, left unsafe, and disrespected."

As society's ideologies continue to grow and change, so does the dynamic of the typical family. Morgan argues that only a tiny portion of the population comes from a nurturing home, and most people are products of a dysfunctional upbringing. With these shifts, everything comes back to communication. Morgan argues, "As parents, what we can learn from being in charge is that the best leaders are not bossy, controlling, and dogmatic." Being wise and giving constructive feedback rather than corporal punishment will deter later post-traumatic stress.

The research Morgan presents is displayed through the evaluation of a four-generation family: the Gardner Family. The structure of the teaching is laid out in a precise manner. For example, Morgan offers the information with his argument and then explains it in the next chapter. By doing this, the book is very organized and helps to lead the reader's thought process. Morgan has worked more than forty years as an educator and still teaches part-time in a collegiate setting. He believes that to achieve the goal of empowerment within oneself, "the patient must be able to conquer their feelings of helplessness, hopelessness, and low self-esteem," and blame will never be the solution when fixing discord. Therefore, when there is family discord, it stems from discord within the individual that must be fixed before reaching outward to the group.

This book is excellent for people who are looking to understand how dysfunctional families mishandle their relationships and how they can break free from destructive, recurring patterns. Even if one doesn't come from a dysfunctional family, Morgan’s book will be an inspiration to work on relationships in everyday life.

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