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Finding like-minded individuals to make a family is an important emotional survival mechanism, says clinical psychologist, Jeanie Cavé.
Cavé explains that some people create a family of peers with people who hold the same values.
However, this is not to say it is necessary to cut off from one’s family of origin in all cases, but rather to seek resonance through friends as an additional family too.
She says every relationship requires emotional closeness, without which it would fail.
What is emotional closeness?
- Empathy- ability to acknowledge somebody’s experience
- Congruence- being genuine
- Unconditional positive regard- unconditional love
Cavé says some people may find that friends have become more than family.
In family, there are higher levels of unconditional positive regard. Your family is unlikely to cut you off because of the unconditional positive regard.
— Jeanie Cavé, clinical psychologist
But sometimes in family, there may not be as much empathy.
— Jeanie Cavé, clinical psychologist
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