1. From the intra-familial perspective, I believe that Bowen's findings would describe this family system as well-differentiated. This began even in the siblings' early childhood experiences. For example, the parents did not force Sebastian or Marcel to participate in activities or school functions if they did not appear to be passionate about it. This pattern continued to persist into adolescence as Sebastian and Marcel decided to experiment with drugs. The boys' parents allowed each individual to choose their own path while providing consistent emotional support for their choices. Despite this scaffolding, this specific family dynamic fostered dysfunction. In turn, this developed a pattern of destructive interactions which both directly and indirectly influenced each family member. Papi in specific held a high standard for the family to respect the brothers' privacy and not just "assume they were selling/doing drugs." He tried to view them as "people with an illness" and showered them with empathy and sensitivity. Both parents expressed a high level of love towards both Sebastian and Marcel, however, their motives resulted in an negative impact to the brothers' intra-personal/psychic perception. Sebastian and Marcel are so tightly fused that they can no longer think for themselves. They believe their actions and decisions cannot be
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Within this family system, I have noticed both fusion and emotional cutoff. For example, Sebastian and Marcel's identities have become so fused that they can no longer make individual choices. In fact, the family even claimed that one brother would not be able to be sober if the other was using drugs. On the flip side, their brother, JR, has experienced an emotional cutoff. As much as he's tried to mend the family dynamic, he's been rejected and deprived of love from his parents in comparison to Sebastian and Marcel. JR made the conscious decision to emotionally and psychologically think for himself without his family's
Within this family system, I have noticed both fusion and emotional cutoff. For example, Sebastian and Marcel's identities have become so fused that they can no longer make individual choices. In fact, the family even claimed that one brother would not be able to be sober if the other was using drugs. On the flip side, their brother, JR, has experienced an emotional cutoff. As much as he's tried to mend the family dynamic, he's been rejected and deprived of love from his parents in comparison to Sebastian and Marcel. JR made the conscious decision to emotionally and psychologically think for himself without his family's