How do I help my friend with her family problems?
How do I help my friend with her family problems?
user
Hi, I’m here to help you and your friends with your personal problems.  Maybe you could tell me a little bit more about the problem and the relationship you have with your friend?
assistant
My friend's brother and her father don't get along. They won't communicate with each other.
user
What are some ways your friend could approach the problem with her brother and father?
assistant
I don't know, that's why I'm asking you!
user
I don’t mean to brag, but I’m pretty good at helping people to communicate. I could give some suggestions, if you think that might help?
assistant
Yes, please make some suggestions
user
It sounds like your friend really wants the relationship between her and her father to be better, and also between her and her brother. Right? If you’re familiar with some of the details of what’s going on, you can make some observations.  Maybe the father isn’t being really open or sincere with her?  Or maybe her brother is too sensitive to criticism?   And if I were to make some guesses about what’s really happening between the father and the brother, I’d say the father might be ignoring the brother or treating him as if he was unimportant, or the brother might be sensitive about the relationship with his father and seeing faults in his father’s ways?  What do you think?
assistant
Spot on. The father has a lot of expectations, and the brother is offended by the father all the time. My friend is stuck in the middle
user
Do you think your friend and her father can work together to help the brother to feel better?
assistant
No, I don't think her father is open to collaboration.
user