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Designing Heart‐Based Systems to Encourage Forgiveness and Reconciliation in Divorcing Families
Author(s) -
Cloke Kenneth
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
family court review
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.171
H-Index - 4
eISSN - 1744-1617
pISSN - 1531-2445
DOI - 10.1111/fcre.12163
Subject(s) - forgiveness , psychology , social psychology
Conflicts in intimate relationships are often accidental, occasional, and unique; yet they are also systemic, repetitive, and alike. For this reason, they are amenable to systemic analysis and resolution by altering them at their chronic sources and applying the preventative methodology of conflict resolution systems design. The central difficulties with using traditional forms of conflict resolution systems design in marriages, couples, and families are that they do not effectively address the emotional meaning or significance of the conflict within the relationship; are not grounded in the heart; and do not address the intimate, relational aspects of intimate, affective conflicts. Marriages and families are deeply sensitive, highly complex emotional relationships that require systems design methodologies that are profoundly informed by the heart. This article proposes a heart‐based systems design approach that includes forgiveness and reconciliation for use in marriages and families, including those that end in divorce. Key Points for the Family Court Community: Conflicts in intimate relationships are accidental, occasional, and unique; yet they are also systemic, repetitive, and alike. Marriages and families are deeply sensitive, highly complex emotional relationships that require systems design methodologies that are profoundly informed by the heart. It is possible to create a heart-based systems design approach to marital, family and divorce conflicts that includes forgiveness and reconciliation.