Family Tree

Belinda Cullo

Other

Everyone

Mostly adults but can also be appropriate for teenagers.

 

Female lifespan development, Family dynamics, Male lifespan development, Men's issues

"Family Tree" was on Christian artist Matthew West's The Story of Your Life album released in 2010. For anyone who is looking to break a family cycle of dysfunction, this song speaks powerfully about changing your legacy and your destiny, because your yesterdays do not have to define you. It is about breaking the chains that bind, and it is written from the perspective of God speaking to you as his child, although this isn't necessarily obvious. It can work beautifully for all counselors, not just those that take a Christian perspective. The rest of the album is equally moving. Artist Matthew West asked his fans to submit stories from their lives. The result was a collection of songs that cover a diverse range of difficult subject matter.

Although the whole album can be useful for counselors to help heal their clients and themselves, this particularly moving song could be used with clients looking to individuate themselves from their family of origin. For anyone with a client who may be struggling with low self-esteem, depression, fear of success, or perhaps relational issues that stem from childhood family dysfunction, this song can be very useful to listen to, perhaps in conjunction with a journaling exercise. It allows a client to feel the pain of their pasts, while also encouraging personal change toward a fruitful new future. This song can help empower clients to break familial cycles, and to become the change they wished to see in their families of origin.