Barbra's Complications In Relationships

Barbra told me that she has had a very stressful relationship with her parents and siblings for the past four years now. She told me that the complications in their relationship began at the end of her freshman year of college due to her starting a romantic relationship with a guy named Alex. Barbra told me that “I did everything right” “I went to bible study every week, came home for church every weekend, and made dean’s list both semesters, but they still said “that boy” was no good for me”. She reported that after the summer of her freshman year of college that her parents and siblings disowned her due to her relationship with “that boy”. Barbra informed me that after that summer she had to support herself financially and emotionally for …show more content…
Patricia (age 30) Barbra’s oldest sister is a lawyer who works for St. Jude’s and lives in Memphis, Tennessee but travels home at least twice a month. Patricia is single with two dachshunds “Ellis” and “Oliver” and never has brought a boy home. Barbra told me that “even though Patricia is very judgmental and rude to me about my past relationship with Alex she has been the only one of my siblings that has tried to keep in contact with me these past 3 years”. She told me that their relationship has gotten much better since she has moved home and that she believes it to be the strongest out of all her siblings. Ethel (age 28) Barbra’s second oldest sister has recently graduated from graduate school with a major in fine arts and lives in Memphis, Tennessee but travels home almost every weekend. Ethel is single and has only had one boyfriend ever, but that relationship was short lived due to her parent’s disapproval. Barbra indicated that she struggles the most with her and Ethel’s relationship because growing up she was closest to her. She told me that “Ethel is the harshest with her comments towards me and it angers me because she knows what it’s like being in my shoes”. Barbra reported that currently Ethel shows no interest in rebuilding their relationship despite many efforts on her part. Franky (age 24) Barbra’s older and only brother is an architect and lives in Atlanta, Georgia. Franky is single and lives alone with his dachshund “Evie”. Although he doesn’t get to come home often due to distance he is in constant communication with his parents. He calls once at breakfast, once at lunch, and skypes at dinner. Barbra reported that her relationship with Franky is very childlike and that she always feels like he is annoyed with her. She told me that Franky completely stopped communication with her these past 3 years and currently only speaks to her if she