Moving Beyond the Shards: The Next Stage of FSA Recovery
The Architecture of Identity and the Restoration of the 'True' (Inviolate) Self
By Rebecca C. Mandeville, founder of FSA Education
This is a public post. Your comments are therefore public.
Dear Subscribers,
In 1998, when I first developed the Theory of Systemic Identity Architecture™, I asserted that the family system operates much like a relational database. When a “System Error” occurs, the family doesn’t fix the code—they create an “Output” for their shame. They create the Scapegoat.
For years, I have provided my original research and nomenclature—including the term I coined, Family Scapegoating Abuse (FSA)—to help survivors identify and name the abusive systemic process they had been subjected to in their dysfunctional or narcissistic family system, while also naming and identifying the wreckage. But identifying the ruins is only Stage One of recovery.
After the systemic harm is understood and the wreakage is assessed, it is time to rebuild. This is what I call “stage two healing”.
The Architecture of the Inviolate Self
I am currently working on the first in a series of online FSA recovery courses based on the Kintsugi Method for FSA Recovery™. This proprietary method is a process of Identity Reconstruction and ‘True’ Self-Restoration. In my FSA recovery model, we are moving away from the “Archaeology” of the past and into the “Architecture” of the future.
My upcoming programs use a proprietary Kintsugi-Based Self-Integration Process to help you rebuild from the Bedrock up. We will be utilizing specialized analogies—including Kintsugi Repair, Relational Database Migration, and Home Construction and Renovation—to help you evict “Structural Squatters” and repair your internal frame with “Golden” clarity. (Learn more about the Kintsugi philosophy by reading my article, Beautiful Scars).
You can begin exploring the Kintsugi Pathway of FSA Healing™ by reading my Daily Kintsugi Pathway Notes here on Substack. I’ve been receiving some great feedback on this new Notes series, which introduces some of my FSA recovery lexicon. You can find my Kintsugi Pathway notes here. Click on the note to read comments: https://familyscapegoathealing.substack.com/notes
A Necessary Note on FSA Source Origin
As the original researcher who coined, defined, and described Family Scapegoating Abuse (FSA), I want to state clearly for the first time: I have not authorized or licensed the use of the term “Family Scapegoating Abuse” or “FSA” for any other scapegoat recovery programs or platforms. If you are participating in a program using this nomenclature, please be aware it is not affiliated with my research, nor does it contain the Stage Two frameworks (such as the Identity Reconstruction Framework™ and Self-Restoration Framework™) that I have developed over decades of initiation and study. I look forward to being able to share my unique FSA recovery pathway based on Kintsugi philosophy and my Theory of Systemic Identity Architecture later this year.
What is Coming:
The New Membership Platform: I will be launching a dedicated membership / online course space where you can opt to transfer your current subscriptions later this year. I will continue to publish new content on Substack as time allows.
The Forge of the Inviolate Self: This will be the home of my courses, the Master Lexicon, and a private membership community for those ready to do the “Stage Two” work of FSA recovery.
A Reminder on Our Community Guidelines
I often receive feedback regarding how inviting our Healing the Scapegoat Wound community feels. This inviting atmosphere is something we co-create together. However, it is my responsibility to ensure that this Substack community remains a “safe-enough” space for all. It is therefore important that you are aware of our community guidelines, including my Zero Tolerance Policy. Members are able to report concerns to me privately regarding community guidelines violations, and I take these reports most seriously. I do not provide ‘warnings’ or give ‘second chances’, as I don’t have time to work therapeutically with members on their conduct. It is therefore especially important that paid community members read these guidelines, as noted in your Welcome email. You’ll also want to pay special attention to a related section labeled Protection of Intellectual Property and Business Integrity. Read the Guidelines here:
As always, I appreciate your presence and am grateful for your support as we work together to ensure Family Scapegoating Abuse (FSA) obtains global societal recognition while offering recovery pathways for survivors. If you missed my latest FSA research summary, you can find it here: https://www.scapegoatrecovery.com/critical-research-findings-that-affirm-the-reality-of-family-scapegoating-abuse-fsa-survivors/
Rebecca
Rebecca C. Mandeville, LMFT
Founder of FSA Education and The Inviolate Self Project
Read the Community Guidelines here: https://familyscapegoathealing.substack.com/p/moderation-guideline-political-references
Powerful reframe moving from archeology to architecture. The distinction between identifying systemic harm versus actually reconstructing identity after it is the piece I see most survivor-focused spaces miss, they get stuck in Stage One grief work without a map forward. I've been throgh similar patterns in other trauma contexts where naming the problem feels like progress until you realize you're just cataloging ruins. The Kintsugi metaphor for visible-yet-healed cracks makes so much more sense than pretending the breaks never happend.