As humans we have two basic needs, connection and survival. Through connecting with others, we feel safe and secure, we’re not alone.
When we are children, that feeling of safety is even more important in a world dominated by adults.
We’re constantly looking for reassurance and approval from our main carers, namely our parents. If these are not available to meet our needs, we start conjuring up ways to attract their attention, their care and their love.
We create roles that will help us to be seen, heard and being noticed. And this coping mechanism are even more imperative when we have to share that limited emotional space with our siblings. Everyone is competing for a chunk of parental affection.
These roles might become our identity and continue to be manifested into adulthood. Although these roles might have been helpful in the past, they might have the opposite effect in adult relationships dynamics.
Below there’s a clear infographic about these family roles.
If you want to understand more about your own roles and how they are playing out in your relationships now, just get in touch.
