Definition:
Not to be confused with family of origin, a family of choice is just that: chosen family. Sometimes a family of origin may be so dysfunctional it contributes to an individual’s struggles rather that serving as a healthy source of support. A family of choice is understood to be a client-selected combination of other individuals able to provide healthy and constructive nurture, direction, and other support to sufficiently meet the relational and emotional needs so important to recovery and well-being.