Holistic/ Whole Person Counseling and Life Coaching, Individuals Seeking Personal and Spiritual Fulfillment, Higher Self Activation and Empowerment.
Founded in Southern California and expanded to Sarasota, Florida, Family Harmony Institute is bringing a new methodology of healing to many.
Family Harmony Institute supports participants in becoming the peace they want to create, i.e. creating the qualities of the Peacemaker; wisdom, compassion, joy, enthusiasm and service in a healthy home environment.
The Family Harmony Institute's Mission
The Family Harmony Institute's (FHI) mission is to transform devastating family dynamics into a framework of functional families and communities. FHI's program creates that roadmap which restores perspective and replenishes hope that has been lost.
FHI's founder and director, Mark Libowitz, M.A., MSW, began the pilot project with mid-income, blue collar families and single mothers and fathers in Ojai, California back in 1988. Since those formative days FHI has been expanded to encompass the needs of wealthy intact families, African American and Latino families as well as mothers and children in family shelter situations.
The FHI program is based on thirteen action-oriented, behavioral principles which helps families who are committed to change get immediately back on track and functioning.
Libowitz, a holistically oriented psychotherapist and community social service developer for over thirty years has observed that the seed of difficulties, whether with teens, youth, frail elderly, homeless, mentally ill or struggling single parents, can trace self-defeating life patterns to a difficult childhood within a dysfunctional, and often abusive, family system.
The FHI program utilizes such steps as cleaning/reorganizing the living area, eating well orchestrated meals together and learning communication skills to bring dramatic improvement into the lives of the families in their homes.
The FHI model, used successfully in many cities at all levels of society, changes lives and brings hope to families in a powerful way. The vision is to link with family oriented programs in other cultures; working towards a harmonious global family.
With more than 40 years in the field of recreating family relationships and systems, some essential tools of healing wisdom have emerged. Try the following; see if you notice some positive results.
In order to be an effective parent, you must honor and respect yourself first. Healthy self-esteem always overflows into our relationships. Self-love empowers love for one's spouse, children and extended family. Defense mechanisms that block relationships are not needed. When we act from a sense of inner security and knowing, the creation of family structures, rules, and discipline is more readily accepted by children and teens. To do this, begin by making a list of as many of your positive qualities as you can think of. Contemplate this list as it will assist you in feeling and becoming more confident and empowered.
The media programs via TV and computer that we permit into our homes, just like food, affect our mind and moods.
The same goes for our home decor, which impacts us day and night. It's crucial to nourish our families with beauty and positive images. Nature is always in harmony and balance; only human beings have the capability of straying from the natural state of harmony. It's important to take time enjoying nature and its beauty. Share this experience consciously with your loved ones and bring this relaxed sense of fulfillment back with you.
Life's challenges give us an opportunity to share and learn from one another, serving others with our knowledge and talents. As you give, also be willing to receive. The ability to reach out to others is a sign of healthy self-esteem. It is also a way to accumulate wisdom.
Spiritual core-to-core relationships are the basis for successful and long-lasting family life. This is the wisdom that we have forgotten. The Family Harmony Institute is committed to teaching these lessons for daily application.
In Family Harmony Training participants learn basic information, principles and applied methods covering topics such as:
Communicating with clarity and compassion
The different needs of men and women
Who is in charge of the family? How to decide roles and responsibilities
Designing the optimal physical environment: colors, lighting, music, wall hangings, etc.
Nutrition for physical and emotional health (both children and adults)
Living with our elders and an extended family
Getting back to nature. How to plan family outings everyone can enjoy. Places a family can go in Florida
Community service projects that can open the heart of the family
Knowing and utilizing community recreational, educational and health resources
How to eliminate negative influences in our lives
Applying wisdom to everyday situations
Family Harmony Training gives each individual an opportunity to contemplate and then design a realistic, yet ideal, family life.
What are the material considerations in renting or purchasing a home or apartment? How factors such as the location of your home, your neighborhood, your community and even having a lawn or garden influence your life?
How much total income is needed to sustain a comfortable family lifestyle? What about tuition for kids' schools, etc.?
What will it generally feel like to be with the family? Will you have lots of communication and playfulness? Will you create an atmosphere that is quiet or raucous or both?
Do you have a loving, touching and hugging family or a more reserved family? Will you interact with your children as best friends or in a more structured relationship?
How do you create an intellectual or material environment that you really want? How will you choose the stimuli which surrounds you and your family everyday?
What is the influence of the paintings on your living room walls, the decor and your kids room, the TV programs you watch, the books, music, videos, family excursions and travel and so on?
What about consistent religious or spiritual emphasis?
What's the social focus of your family? How the relationship of the parents influence is the whole family
How will your children choose their friends? Will it be karate or piano lessons? What about the clothes your children wear? Will you be a permissive or more structured parents?
It's your movie, you write the script. Make it a vivid, colorful and beautifully harmonious as you can imagine. Hold the vision and share it with your co-creating spouse. Or, if you're single, share your vision and progress with a close friend or two on a regular basis. Apply the basic principles taught and demonstrated in the Training (plus any others you may wish to include). Utilize the individualized training and support offered by the FHI. Work on manifesting your vision in a realistic step-by-step manner in order to realize your ideal. Family life ought to be warm, pleasurable and supportive. A learning-growing experience --- a celebration!
For a free phone consultation and assessment contact Mark
Mark A. Libowitz M.A. MSW (941) 924-4395
[email protected]
For a free 20 minute phone consultation and assessment contact Mark
Mark A. Libowitz M.A. MSW (941) 924-4395
[email protected]
