December 2, 2025
So Maybe Family Isn't Your #1 Value. Let's Talk About Why. (with Therapist Vienna Pharaon)
Becoming You with Suzy WelchAbout this episode
Only 11% of Americans rank family as their #1 value. That's not a guess. It's data from nearly 100,000 respondents of The Values Bridge—the largest values data set ever compiled. On this episode of Becoming You, host Suzy Welch breaks down the research from Becoming You Labs behind her widely discussed Wall Street Journal op-ed, "For Americans, Family Comes First—Or Does It?" And she's brought in the perfect person to help make sense of it: renowned family therapist Vienna Pharaon. What The Values Bridge reveals about family challenges nearly everything we've been told about what matters most—and raises profound questions about how we're actually living our lives. That's why this conversation feels so personal—and important. Suzy and Vienna explore: Why our childhood experiences and the messages we absorbed growing up shape our values more than we realize. The values that consistently outrank family, like self-care and flourishing. How to honor your real values and design a life around them—without the guilt that comes from not living up to others' expectations. This conversation isn't about whether you love your family. It's about understanding what genuinely drives your choices, your energy, and how you spend your days. If you've ever felt guilty for not wanting to go home for the holidays, or wondered why you don't feel about family the way you think you should—you're not alone. And this conversation will help you understand why. Where to find Vienna Pharaon: Workbook: https://viennapharaon.com/wound-workbooks-opt-in/ Quiz: https://1wsm6geg69z.typeform.com/to/d981R7Cl Website: https://viennapharaon.com Instagram: @mindfulmft Facebook: MindfulMFT TikTok: mindfulmft The Values Bridge digital assessment is available at thevaluesbridge.com PIE360 Feedback tool is available at pie360feedback.com Want more Becoming You? Check out the Becoming You book . You are always growing and evolving and so are we. Sign up for the Becoming You newsletter for fresh new content in one tidy package. You can follow and tag Suzy on: Instagram: @suzywelch Linkedin: @suzywelch TikTok: @suzywelch YouTube: @suzywelch_ X: @SuzyWelch Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.