Family Communication: The Essential Rules for Improving Communication and Making Your Relationships More Loving, Supportive, and Enriching by Sven Wahlroos
The book Family Communication by Dr. Sven Wahlroos is a supportive tool for people who desire to improve their communication skills within the family. The key topics discussed in the book include interpersonal relations, communication within the family, and emotional health (Wahlroos, 1995). Sven Wahlroos, PhD, is a prominent clinical psychologist and a diplomat in Marital Family Therapy of the American Board of Family Psychology. He has a private practice based in Los Angeles. Besides, he has worked at the Los Angeles Psychiatric Service, the American Board of Examiners in Professional Psychology and the Reiss-Davis Clinic for Child Guidance (Wahlroos, 1995).
In the current world where millions of families are involved in harmful interactions in their daily lives, which result in probable problems such as wife nagging, misunderstanding between husbands and wives, and teenage unruliness, Wahlroos’ Family Communication is a useful guide to improving communication within the family (Wahlroos, 1995). The author has provided twenty rules that can assist families in evading the common negative communication patterns which often result in quarrels, and realizing instead more loving, healthier and closer relationships. Wahlroos asserts that sometimes innocent actions done within the family can unconsciously communicate undesirable messages leading to a family discord, or a communication failure (Wahlroos, 1995). That is why he offers a set of communication rules to help in avoiding such disagreements. His rules are extremely sensible, practical and applicable to the daily problems families face, and that is why, I believe, a majority of people will readily agree with them. Some of the tips include being clear and specific during the communication, and avoiding yelling, nagging or whining (Wahlroos, 1995).
From the precepts and rules provided in the book, readers are able to learn the ways in which they can discuss problems that occur within the family without getting into arguments that are likely to destroy them. It is a fact that effective communication cannot take place without effective listening; this book teaches families the techniques that can help them become more efficient listeners. The book also explains how to identify and counter unjust communication tricks, for example, intimidating someone so that he fears to speak the truth, minding reading, as well as interrupting people while they are talking (Wahlroos, 1995). In addition, Wahlroos’ book can assist families in dealing with the common verbal games that they experience in their daily lives, as well as, in learning how to ask questions effectively to prevent misunderstandings during the family communication. The author states that it is his duty to mention the above communication tricks to people who cannot detect them, and to offer his readers the best ways of countering such tricks and having healthy relationships (Wahlroos, 1995). Although Wahlroos does not provide a cure for some neurotic disease, or a theory of interpersonal conduct, his communication techniques are extremely valuable in dealing with the common communication problems we experience in life.
With regard to emotional health, Wahlroos says that people who are emotionally healthy can be recognized by the way they talk which shows their excitement and enthusiasm, and the investment of their feelings in things and people surrounding them (Wahlroos, 1995). Consequently, their personal lives are more rewarding and enjoyable. From this book, it is evident that living a sociable enthusiastic lifestyle provides a foundation for the revival of oneself, as well as others. This fact implies that when people minimize or remove the things that hinder their interpersonal communication, there is a great probability of having enthusiastic and cordial relationships with their families, friends and the other people they interact with in their everyday lives (Wahlroos, 1995).
Family Communication is a truly remarkable, informative, and practical book that offers families techniques that help them avoid destructive communication, and instead, embrace more loving and healthier relationships within the family. This book can be helpful to everyone who wishes to improve relationships with his or her family.