The trend towards nucleation in the Indian society has resulted in an increasing emphasis on the new father and his involvement, and hence, utilising a phenomenological approach, the subjective experiences of seven Indian men, who had recently journeyed into fatherhood, were explored. In-depth interviews were conducted and the data was analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). The results depict a variety of experiential perspectives and meanings, along with certain influential factors such as the importance of preparation, perceived need to actively participate and having male friends who have also recently become fathers. Specific to the Indian context are extended family support and the interplay between traditional role expectations and modern demands, elucidating how cultural ideologies impact aspects of this transition.

Middle-aged siblings’ concerns are rarely addressed in psychotherapy literature. Siblings without their own families of procreation are quite common in many Asian cultures. Therapists’ challenges for such shrinking systems can be approached with assimilative integration. A dominant narrative therapy foundation that absorbs behavioral strategies can be a relevant style of addressing problems faced by siblings. The narrative frame helps with individual as well as family related incongruent stories, whereas the behavioral frame creates a sense of mastery over the current interactions that can in turn consolidate new meaning about family life. Using a case illustration, we propose the use of a narrative-behavioral approach in family therapy with 2 siblings who have to create a meaningful family life together.