If you’re the kind of person who listens to mental health podcasts, you’re more likely than average to get pulled into an impromptu “helping role” with your family and friends. Sometimes we seek out these roles, but they can also be uncomfortable or one-sided. And sometimes we get stuck playing a role for someone else that we never wanted in the first place.

On this episode of Being Well, Forrest and Dr. Rick use this situation as a way in to exploring the various roles we play in life, and the profound impact those often unconscious roles have on us. They talk about relationship models, how we select our roles, how familiar roles can keep us trapped in old patterns, enactments and triangulation, and how we can exit unhealthy systems.

Watch the Episode: Prefer watching video? You can watch this episode on YouTube.

Key Topics:

0:00: Introduction

2:50: The hazards of accidentally becoming a friend’s therapist

6:45: Objectivity, professionalism, and not needing to be liked

11:00: The roles we take on and how they shape us

16:45: Why we choose certain roles, and being crippled by our strengths

21:00: Enactments

25:15: Splitting

30:10: When someone else pushes you into a role

35:10: Triangulation

48:10: Deep listening and a lesson from Carl Rogers

51:10: Practical tips for drawing boundaries in your roles with others

59:40: Recap

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