1915: [Part 1] Connect by Cultivating Chosen Family by Kristine Klussman on Developing Meaningful Relationships
Oct 3, 2023
11:54
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Kristine Klussman, specializing in Health Psychology at Harvard Medical School, discusses the importance of cultivating chosen family, particularly in the LGBTQ community. She explores the power and flexibility of chosen family, emphasizing intentionality and appreciation. Klussman also shares her own deep commitment to a member of her chosen family and discusses how chosen family can benefit individuals who have felt outed by their biological families.
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Quick takeaways
Cultivating chosen family provides love and support that may be missing in biological families.
Chosen family relationships offer flexibility, personal growth, and fulfillment of emotional support needs.
Deep dives
Importance of Cultivating Chosen Family
Cultivating chosen family is an excellent solution for those who lack support or positive dynamics in their biological family. Numerous studies confirm that social support is crucial for physical and mental well-being. By actively seeking out relationships with people who align with our values and provide support, we gain a sense of empowerment and psychological benefits. Assigning fixed roles within the biological family and expecting close bonds with every member can create unnecessary anguish and disappointment. Chosen families, on the other hand, allow for flexibility and growth, providing the love and support that may be missing in biological families.
Defining Chosen Family
Chosen family consists of individuals with whom we share trust, loyalty, and a mutual commitment. They may fill the void left by biological family members or offer additional support. Chosen family can include close friends, non-biological relatives, extended family members, romantic partners, or even other individuals' parents or children. These relationships require intentionality, appreciation, and a willingness to commit. The scope of chosen family relationships can vary, from being indistinguishable from biological family to focusing on specific aspects of the relationships. Cultivating chosen family allows us to find the love and support we need, even if it differs from what our biological family can provide.
Benefits and Flexibility of Chosen Family
Chosen family offers numerous benefits, particularly for those who have experienced rejection or lack of understanding from their biological families, such as LGBTQ individuals. By cultivating chosen family, people can find unconditional love, support, and encouragement that their biological or step families might not offer. These chosen family relationships can be flexible and adaptable, allowing individuals to create connections that suit their specific needs. Cultivating chosen family provides an opportunity for personal growth, authenticity, and the fulfillment of emotional support needs that may not be met in biological families.
Kristine Klussman encourages you to connect by cultivating chosen family. This is part 1 of 2.
Episode 1915: [Part 1] Connect by Cultivating Chosen Family by Kristine Klussman on Developing Meaningful Relationships
Kristine Klussman specialized in Health Psychology (Behavioral Medicine) at Harvard Medical School, then founded and ran the Health Psychology program and post-doctoral training programs at California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco. She found her work with cancer and cardiac patients inspiring, uplifiting, and humbling. She found so many of those going through life-threatening illness were - sometimes for the first time in their lives - absolutely clear what truly mattered to them: authenticity and connection. In 2016, she founded a non-profit to focus full-time on trying to understand, explain and teach what she now believes is the single most meaningful and rewarding aspect of our existence.