Case Study Of Maria's Triangle
My first hypothesis is that Maria is creating a triangle. Maria has a close relationship with her mother; she views her mother as her only friend at times. Maria and Paul’s relationship is strained and creating frustrations between the two of them. Since Maria is close to her mother and experiencing challenges in her relationship with Paul, she feels comfortable with her mother and they spend a great deal of time together, she confides intimate details of her relationship with Paul to her mother. By continuously involving her mother in her relationship with Paul, Maria is creating a triangle between the three individuals. Rather than addressing the issues between Paul and herself, Maria is seeking out her mother as third party to the issues.
Triangles are useful to promote homeostasis in a relationship; however, the triangle can have a negative impact on the person who is the focus of the triangle (Bowen Systems Theory). My second hypnosis is that Paul is emotionally cutoff. While Paul maintains that he comes from a “pretty typical” family, it appears that there may have been some tension or conflict within the family. As an adult, Paul appears to have emotionally separated himself from his parents. Paul indicates that he has been on his most of his life. He does not know the whereabouts of father and does not appear to express grief with the passing of his mother. Paul is emotionally cutoff from his childhood and parents. Paul likely learned this pattern of behavior from his father, who in turned learned if from his father, as Paul describes his paternal-grandfather as “distance and cold”. This learned pattern of behavior is then transferred into his relationship with Maria. When tensions arise between the two of them, Paul distance himself or cuts-off self rather than addressing the issue.
Lastly, a multigenerational transmission process, may be a factor in the Maria and Paul’s relationship. If a family unit has unresolved family issues of a past generation, these issues may impact subsequent generations (Reed, 2017). Despite Paul’s claims that he comes from a “pretty typical” family, he appears to have experienced tension or conflict within the family. Maria reports that her father came from a “dysfunctional family” and growing up her father was emotionally distance and critical of her as well as a heavy drinker.
Triangles are useful to promote homeostasis in a relationship; however, the triangle can have a negative impact on the person who is the focus of the triangle (Bowen Systems Theory). My second hypnosis is that Paul is emotionally cutoff. While Paul maintains that he comes from a “pretty typical” family, it appears that there may have been some tension or conflict within the family. As an adult, Paul appears to have emotionally separated himself from his parents. Paul indicates that he has been on his most of his life. He does not know the whereabouts of father and does not appear to express grief with the passing of his mother. Paul is emotionally cutoff from his childhood and parents. Paul likely learned this pattern of behavior from his father, who in turned learned if from his father, as Paul describes his paternal-grandfather as “distance and cold”. This learned pattern of behavior is then transferred into his relationship with Maria. When tensions arise between the two of them, Paul distance himself or cuts-off self rather than addressing the issue.
Lastly, a multigenerational transmission process, may be a factor in the Maria and Paul’s relationship. If a family unit has unresolved family issues of a past generation, these issues may impact subsequent generations (Reed, 2017). Despite Paul’s claims that he comes from a “pretty typical” family, he appears to have experienced tension or conflict within the family. Maria reports that her father came from a “dysfunctional family” and growing up her father was emotionally distance and critical of her as well as a heavy drinker.