How to Coach Yourself and Others Coaching Families | Page 125

They contend that problems that are manifest in one's current family will not significantly change until
relationship patterns in one's family of origin are understood and addressed. Emotional problems will be
transmitted from one generation to the next until unresolved emotional attachments are dealt with
effectively. Change must occur with other family members and cannot be done by an individual in a
counseling room.
Living systems and all the other system-related processes--move forward through key "horizontal"
transitional stages (brought about by time and change).
Symptoms occur when vertical stressors (old issues, past mistakes, emotional legacies) impinge on the
system during a transition.
Families are likeliest to be conflicted and symptomatic when key horizontal transitions like marriage, the
birth of children, children going to school, childre