Going Home without Going Crazy: How to Get Along with Your Parents and Family (even When They Push Your Buttons) - Softcover

For many, walking through the door of our parents' home is like stepping back in time. We leave our independent adult lives at the door and resume our old roles - with all the emotional baggage that goes along with them. Instead of enjoying precious moments of togetherness and connection, we spend holidays and homecomings seething with resentment and bitterness. But author Andra Medea, a renowned conflict management expert, believes that you can go home again, if you know how to resolve old conflicts. This book offers a variety creative of strategies for making it happen. It introduces a three-level conflict continuum readers can use to understand family conflicts and work for their resolution. From petty bickering to hurtful remarks to naked aggression, each level of conflict requires a unique approach. With these ideas in mind, readers can use the book's other techniques to communicate more effectively, deal with anger and resentment and strengthen family relationships. In the end, readers will find that they can reconnect to their families and start enjoying the times they spend with them.

Andra Medea is a conflict management consultant with Medea and Associates. She has taught conflict management at the University of Chicago, Northwestern University and DePauw University. Her clients include hospitals, social service agencies, religious groups and other organisations that seek to provide services to people in conflict. She gives seminars and lectures on conflict management regularly.