ABSTRACT
If you talk with anyone long enough about their family relationships, you will find that, at some point, their feelings have been hurt by family members. They may describe the hurt they experienced as minor, or they may portray it as major and life-changing. They may say that their feelings were quick to pass, or they may talk as if the emotional pain they experienced continues to plague them. They may have forgiven the person who hurt them long ago, or they may continue to hold that individual in disdain. Being hurt by family members, in short, is a common experience, but some people feel their relationships with family members have been irreparably damaged by the hurt they have felt, whereas others seem to set aside their hurt feelings in favor of fostering close family ties.
