Quote:
Originally Posted by athena.agathon
I also sometimes I think that he doesn't quite get that my intense family loyalty (in the face of some ****ed-up behavior on my parents' part), feeling of responsibility for my (developmentally disabled) younger brother, and my guilt about not being a dutiful enough daughter is somewhat cultural.
I think that A. thinks all of this is enmeshment, and that it is pathological, but I think he might be taking that a little too far. I'm trying to tow the line between establishing healthy boundaries and protecting myself, and keeping my responsibilities to my family and my identity.
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It sounds as if you have set up what you call "healthy boundaries"--that before engaging in therapy your top priority is protecting family loyalties, family responsibilities, and what you call your "identity."
I don't know what your issues are or what your therapy goals are, but it seems that you've walled off most of everything that therapy might deal with. I don't think it's a cultural difference ... More a question of what are you hoping to accomplish, when you've limited the "allowed" field of focus?