Triangulation
Bringing in a third person to relieve tension between two — most often a child.
How it shows up
A mother complains about the father to the child. The parents don’t argue directly but through questions about parenting. The tension drops for a moment, and the cost is that a third person carries what isn’t theirs.
What we do with it in therapy
We take the child out of the role of go-between and return the tension where it arose. That is uncomfortable for the parents and a relief for the child.
