"As an adopted child I grew up in a home loving home with loving parents. Unfortunately our home also became full of conflict and stress. Remarkably it wasn’t because I was setting fires, lying, stealing, and killing animals, All of which I was actively engaged in, but rather it was for another reason. The reason did not come to light until nearly thirty years later shortly after the passing of my father.

My entire life I witnessed my parents daily frustration when it came to parenting my sister. She was a challenge, but she did not engage in the degree of inappropriate behaviors that I did. However, it was not necessarily her behaviors that caused the problems. My sister, due to her own early trauma and adoption, was emotionally immature. She was quiet and withdrawn, and had very poor social skills for effectively relating to her peers. Not only this, but in the home she acted in very immature ways, talking incessantly, lying, making up stories, getting into things she was not supposed too. All of thesebehaviors were quite challenging to my parents. Not to mention the constant problems she experienced at school with peers and teachers. My parents experienced all the anxiety of constant phone calls from the school omplaining about my sister talking in class, getting poor grades, and stealing from the teachers desk.

Needless to say, by the time my sister was fifteen, the constant conflict became too much and she left ome. She didn’t fare much better on her own, in and out of jail several times before the age of eighteen. But that’s not the point of this message to you.

One day, thirty years later, shortly after the passing of my father, my mother stated during a heart to eart, that the one thing my sister needed but never received was understanding. She stated in an exasperated way, “We never understood who she was and what she needed. That’s why we struggledso much.”

You don’t have to struggle for years. At the POST Institute we’ve got the understanding that can help you create healing dynamics for your family that will last forever. I hope you’ll come and join us.

Bryan Post is an internationally recognized specialist in the treatment of emotionally challenged children and families. He is the founder of the Post Institute for Family-Centered Therapy, POST Educational Services, POST Treatment Homes, and serves as Clinical Director for Family First of Virginia Beach. He is an author, mentor, teacher, son, husband, and father.

IF YOU ALWAYS DO WHAT YOU’VE ALWAYS DONE, YOU WILL ALWAYS BE WHERE YOU’VE ALREADY BEEN.