Prescribing family criticism as a paradoxical intervention

Two case studies are presented in which parental criticism of children was prescribed in two fused families, who in part were fused because of the mutual and intense criticism between the parents and children. In both cases, prescribing the criticism resulted in blocking the parental criticism, thus forcing the family members to interact in new and different ways. Blocking the criticism permitted the individuals and the family to evolve to the next developmental stages in the family life cycle. Discussion is detailed as to why the prescription of family criticism led to shifts in the family system.