Our family relationships fundamentally influence our health and happiness — but we think too narrowly about the impact of our families on our lives.

In Every Family Has A Story, bestselling psychotherapist Julia Samuel turns from her acclaimed work with individuals to draw on her sessions with a wide variety of families. Through eight beautifully told and insightful case studies, she analyses a range of common issues, from separation and step- relationships to leaving home and loss, and shows how much is passed from one generation to the next — and how this inheritance can be faced together. Uncovering how deeply we are influenced by our families – including the often under-appreciated impact of grandparents and siblings – and incorporating the latest academic research, she offers insights that are applicable to us all. Her 12 touchstones for family wellbeing – from fighting productively to making time for rituals – provide us with the tools to be better family members ourselves, and to create the families we wish for.

This is a moving and reassuring meditation that, amidst trauma and hardship, tells unforgettable stories of forgiveness, learning and love.