Conversations from the Heart

#151 - How to Step Out of Family Triangulation

Yvette Erasmus

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What do you do when the people you love pull you in opposite directions?

In this episode of Conversations from the Heart, I speak with Liza, a mother who finds herself caught in a painful family dilemma. Her youngest son is in his first serious relationship, and his older siblings believe the relationship is unhealthy. They’ve drawn a hard line: if the girlfriend is present, they won’t be.

Suddenly Liza is standing in the middle, loving all of her children and feeling the pressure to choose sides.

This conversation explores a dynamic that shows up in almost every family at some point: triangulation. When tension arises between two people, a third person often gets pulled in to manage the conflict, absorb the anxiety, or solve the problem.

But what if the most loving thing we can do is step out of the middle?

Together we explore what it means to move from trying to manage everyone else’s relationships to standing clearly in our values and vision for the kind of family we want to be part of.

This shift can change everything.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why family conflicts often pull someone into the middle, and why that role is so exhausting

• How love and protectiveness can accidentally turn into control

• A powerful shift from trying to manage outcomes to standing clearly for your values

If you’ve ever felt responsible for keeping everyone happy, smoothing over family conflict, or holding a family together when others can’t meet each other, this conversation will resonate deeply.

Read more on the blog.

For ongoing practice and deeper learning, I warmly invite you to become a member of The School of Human Connection

Twice a month, I host live calls where members bring real relationship dilemmas. We slow things down and I'll help you see what's actually happening and how to respond with more integrity, strength and care.

You will find a safe space for live discussions and a supportive community of like-minded, open-hearted humans.

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