1. Identifying Your family System: Circumplex Model (Beebe, pp.

351-353).
Create a circumplex model of your own family of origin.

Read the section describing the circumplex model.

Follow the instructions in Developing Your Skills,

p. 353.
Describe how your family fits into this model.
Explain your choices.
What did you learn about your familys interactions?
Based in what you learned, suggest a few
improvements your family might make in its communication.

My family fit in the Circumplex Model of Family Interaction with high level of
flexible adaptability and a high level of connected cohesion.

High level of flexible adaptability:

When my kids were young they were raised in a loving home that support learning
about the diversity in the world and how important it is to accept everyone's
differences. Also they were free to have a voice to share their opinions without fear
of criticism. My family are adults now with kids of their own. We enjoy getting
together not only for the holidays and birthdays but also kids sports, singing and
dance recitals, Kids plays, fun in the sun at pool parties and movie nights. We spend
vacations together and every two years attend family reunions. We also have our
independence from each other.
High level of connected cohesion.
We are emotionally bonded with feelings of togetherness. We are supportive of each
others successes and trials. Examples are: My son plays in a band and on any given
night he can count on us to be there to cheer him on. When my Granddaughter
underwent heart surgery my daughter could count on us to be there taking turns
sleeping in her daughters hospital room so that she is never alone. Weve
experienced many challenges in our family including my kids Dad passing away when
they were young. We were able to adapt because we had good communication, which
ultimately kept our family together.
Family Communication Author Virginia Satir, thinks good family communication is so
important that she calls it the largest single factor determining the kinds of
relationships we make with others (Beebe page 351). What Ive learned from my
families interaction is how important communication has helped us get through

challenges. Has our family grows and we go through life I hope to keep effective
communication open and maintain a sense of comfort and well being