Triangulation
Triangulation happens then “two family members join against a third” (McGoldrick, Gerson & Petry 2008). Triangles are relationships that contain individuals in “sets of three relationships in which the functioning of each is dependant on and influenced by the other two” (McGoldrick, Gerson & Petry 2008). The formation of a triangle usually comes from instability or tension from two individuals, in order to stabilize their relationship they join a third person to the relationship. The two people may join up to help the other person or to gang up on them, either way they are relying on the third individual. Nichols (1987) talks about not only the tendency of couple clients to involve others as the third person in their triangle, but therapists as the third person in a triangle. Therapist may be tempted to side with one person or the other, and often times they will be asked to. More »