What makes a family functional isn't that they don't experience problems -- they do. But they have the ability to handle these problems in a healthy way.

Dear Friends,

How many people do you know that have mentioned they have survived growing up in a dysfunctional family or are still in one? More than likely you have heard it several times from friends and even within your own family. Our course Surviving Your Dysfunctional Family was created to help heal the pain and teach new skills to navigate your family dynamic. If you want to break the family cycle of dysfunction, you will want to keep reading below.

Course Overview
Our family relationships and dynamics have a distinct impact on our past and present lives. In this insightful 10-day course, you will learn about the dysfunctions that existed or continue to be present in your family and how these issues have manifested in your behaviors and perceptions. You will also receive expert guidance on how to heal from past and current wounds, change any negative responses you may have developed, and create new, healthy behaviors and boundaries for yourself. By the end, you will have better relationships with the people in your life, an improved sense of self, and greater capacity for living a life filled with unbounded potential.
  • Receive a new lesson every day for 10 days (total of 10 lessons).
  • Have lifetime access to the course for reference whenever you want.
  • Select the amount you can afford, and get the same course as everyone.
  • If you are not 100% satisfied, you may request a refund.

How much do you want to pay?

$15$35$50

This is the total amount for all 10 lessons

Q&A With DailyOM

Madisyn Taylor: What is a dysfunctional family, and how would a person know they are suffering the emotional effects of being in one?

DailyOM: One way to understand what makes a family dysfunctional is by comparing it to a functional one. What makes a family functional isn't that they don't experience problems -- they do. But they have the ability to handle these problems in a healthy way. A functioning family is able to adapt and adjust to their changing needs and circumstances (whether positive or negative). They work together as a family and encourage the growth of each member. On the other hand, a dysfunctional family responds to changes in their environment and relationships with recurring, toxic patterns of behavior. As a result, each member's well-being is compromised, often leaving lasting emotional scars.

As adult children of dysfunctional families, those emotional wounds can run deep, resulting in an array of emotional and physical symptoms. Anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, shame, intimacy problems, and anger are common emotional signs, while physical symptoms include chemical addictions, eating and sleep disorders, and others.

To help you discover if you're suffering from the emotional effects of a dysfunctional family, take a moment to be still. Take a quiet, self-reflective pause and feel into the words "dysfunctional family." Do any feelings get triggered? What images or memories come to mind? By sensing your body's reaction and mental thoughts, it's very likely you experienced some form of physical or emotional response to the term. You may even have recognized a specific, unhealthy pattern of behavior that makes (or made) your family dysfunctional.

MT: Why is it important to address healing from this type of dynamic?

DailyOM: Your first role models were your parents (or primary caregivers), and your home environment was your first classroom -- as a child you learned, watched, and behaved based on the information you were given. So, your family has had a powerful hand in shaping the person you are today. This also means that depending on the level of dysfunction you experienced in your family, it is also the root cause for many of the problems you face in your adult life and in your current relationships. By addressing your dysfunctional family, you have the opportunity to end patterns of negative behavior and reclaim your freedom and happiness. Real transformation begins with taking an honest look at the dysfunction that was (and still is) present in your family. Once you do, you empower your healing as well as your innate wisdom to make new, healthy changes in your life.

MT: The course really takes a student on a journey through all the steps and phases necessary to heal our role in a dysfunctional family. Tell me what a student might expect as they journey through the 10 lessons.

DailyOM: We begin with understanding and identifying the harmful effects of a dysfunctional family. This journey of recovery invites you to examine your past as well as look at your present, recognizing unhealthy patterns of behavior that have persisted over time. For example, lesson two takes a close look at five common types of codependent roles family members play: scapegoat, loner, enabler, hero, and mascot. By identifying the role you played as a child and still play as an adult, you gain a valuable advantage -- you become conscious of the dysfunctional pattern and develop greater self-awareness.

The next part of the journey focuses on ways to channel your self-awareness and begin mending the emotional scars of dysfunction. These lessons introduce practical tools, exercises, and guidance that will help you take healing action steps. The attention is on recovering your true self -- the healthy and whole self that yearns to be seen, heard, and loved. Through reestablishing a trusting bond with your inner child, setting healthy boundaries, practicing forgiveness, and accepting the present, you learn skills that can break the cycle of dysfunction, freeing you to live with more inner harmony and planting seeds of happiness for the future.

Lastly, the course ends with a shift from the inward journey of introspection to the outward journey of service. As you begin to heal and strengthen your self-esteem, the desire to help others and share your story becomes important. The gift of recovery becomes a gift you want to share with others, and as you give back, you will experience greater joy and deeper connections with people.

MT: In lesson five we learn about setting boundaries. Why is this so important?

DailyOM: Sometimes we think that saying "no" is enough of a boundary, but unfortunately, saying "no," especially with our family, isn't always respected and honored. It's usually the case that our most intimate relationships are the most enmeshed emotionally and physically -- making it difficult to know where the relationship begins and ends -- which is why setting healthy boundaries is critical to establishing your self-identity and safeguarding your well-being. Like a protective fence or a "No Trespassing" sign, boundaries are a defining line that determines what is acceptable behavior in your relationships. Although setting boundaries is important, it isn't an easy thing to do and needs to be learned and practiced. This lesson explains what a healthy boundary is and isn't and walks you through a step-by-step process of how to set and preserve one.

MT: Lesson eight teaches about re-parenting ourselves. What does this mean?

DailyOM: Along with the inner child, you have an inner parent. Your inner parent is connected to your higher self -- the self that knows what's best for you, the self who unconditionally loves and accepts you.

When you re-parent yourself, you become free from the belief that your parents or family are still controlling your life. In essence you become your own parent. You take personal responsibility for your life today, and by doing so you no longer depend on your family to fill that role. You can meet your own needs directly and abundantly. All the qualities that you long for in a parent you have within yourself. The ways in which you can practice re-parenting include self-care, meditation, practicing mindfulness, creating a supportive spiritual community, and practicing self-compassion.

MT: What is the homework like in this course? And why is it important to do the homework?

DailyOM: The homework in this course has been uniquely designed to gently and supportively guide you through the process of healing from your dysfunctional family. Each lesson's homework includes practices that give you the opportunity to engage with the lesson's important takeaway. For example, in lesson three, which focuses on uncovering your denial, the homework invites you to create a sacred space so you can feel safe during your journey of self-discovery. In the lesson on forgiveness, you will be led through a step-by-step process of forgiveness so that you can free yourself from a past wound. Other types of homework in this course include how to directly connect to your inner child and inner parent, how to create a personal bill of rights to preserve your happiness, how to engage with your spiritual guide, and many others. The ultimate goal of the course is to provide you with a palette of useful tools and ideas that you can learn, personalize, and take with you on your journey of recovery. Healing from a dysfunctional family can be challenging, long-term work; it requires patience and dedication, and this course can equip you with a strong foundation from which to change the direction of your life.

MT: Is this course for anyone, whether or not they are in a dysfunctional family?

DailyOM: Absolutely. Even if you came from a healthy, functioning family, you are probably still affected by someone else's dysfunctional patterns in at least a few of your relationships. It's also the case that family dysfunction can become so normalized that we are no longer conscious of the patterns of behavior. We often don't realize the underlying power it has to still trigger our actions, potentially causing us to harm our relationships or ourselves.

Another valuable point to make, especially for those who have families, is how easy it is to pass on our dysfunctions from generation to generation. As we are the products of our parents and families, so were our parents the products of their upbringing, and so are the children we are raising today. If we have a desire to break the cycles of dysfunctional patterns, it's really up to us to start -- right here, right now. By taking conscientious action, we can become the agents of transformative change, giving our children the opportunity to live a much healthier and happier life that they can pass on to the next generation. It's a beautiful and amazing gift we can give!

How Does It Work?
Starting today, you will receive a new lesson every day for 10 days (total of 10 lessons). Each lesson is yours to keep and you'll be able to refer back to it whenever you want. And if you miss a lesson or are too busy to get to it that day, each lesson will conveniently remain in your account so you won't have to search for it when you're ready to get back to it.

Free Gift
As a free gift, when you sign up for this course, you will also receive the award-winning DailyOM inspiration newsletter which gives you daily inspirational thoughts for a happy, healthy and fulfilling day. We will also let you know about other courses and offers from DailyOM that we think you might be interested in.

Get Started Now
We are offering this course with the option of selecting how much you want to pay. No matter how much you pay, you'll be getting the same course as everybody else. We simply trust that people are honest and will support the author of the course with whatever they can afford. And if you are not 100% satisfied, we will refund your money.


How much do you want to pay?

$15$35$50

This is the total amount for all 10 lessons


I hope you learned something from this Q&A. Courses like these are close to my heart as there are so many of us on this earth that are emotionally wounded. I feel that when we heal ourselves, we help heal others and the world at large. If you are interested in learning more about his course, please click on the link. Until next time.

Be well,

Madisyn Taylor
Cofounder, Editor-in-Chief
DailyOM