Becoming a Family of Four

This June I gave birth to my second child, Jacob. My oldest, Corbin, is three years old. Brian and I anticipated a season full of stress, “big feelings” and regression as we adjusted to a new family norm. We forecasted challenges and made adjustments intended to prepare Corbin for the addition to our family. I reflected on my emotional responses from having our first to prepare myself. We are three months in, and it has been a whirlwind of experiences.

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Anxiety, Stress and Triangles: Pressurized Human Relationship

Dan Papero’s review of the fundamentals, such as the automatic and instinctual reactions within the emotional system, the preferential sensitivity among the family members, and the constant flow and counter flow of emotions within the system was helpful in understanding triangles.  How the forces of togetherness and individuation are always in play, how anxiety increases the pressure towards togetherness and how too much closeness results in distancing.  The mechanisms of distancing include conflict, overfunctioning/underfunctioning and projection.  They are utilized to control the emotional flow and maintain regulation. Triangles operate to maintain equilibrium.  The example of the spinning top continuing to adjust the balance of the threesome in the triangle was helpful.

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