MAYBE IT'S YOUR FAMILY!  This definition of family was created in response to Barbara Carnal's  frustration with negative labels that generally described her family of "variously accumulated" children, such as "non-traditional, dys-functional and un-blended."  Is it a second rate family?  Certainly not! 

What about the many other families experiencing distress due to the guilt of not "blending?"  If  negative images lead to negative energy, then Barbara knew it was time for a new term.  Everyone deserves a positive, supportive family.

In a PATCHWORK FAMILY, each person is like an individual patch in a patchwork quilt.  Each one is whole itself, and the patch stands for a person's unique self and life story. 

When someone enters the family -- by birth, adoption, or due to divorce and remarriage, or by the addition of a grandparent or foster children -- the individual patch (person) is not altered or blended.  Instead, attention is focused on how the patches (family members) are joined together to define the family.

Each person is celebrated as a special contributor, and the family is strengthened by the "stitching" made up of the "threads" of communication, leadership, tradition, spiritual life, community service and others.  When the stitching becomes weak, attention is placed on repairing the connections, not on fixing or changing a person.

WE CELEBRATE THE INDIVIDUAL...and at the same time, THE FAMILY IS STRENGTHENED !!

Please note that we acknowledge the importance of treatment for individual mental and physical health issues, and we recommend referrals to appropriate professionals for such concerns. 

Contact us via email to Barbara@patchworkfamily.com.  We welcome your comments!