* Karpman, S. (1968). Fairy Tales and Script
Drama Analysis. Transactional Analysis Bulletin, vol. 7, no. 26, pp. 39-43.
The Transformation from the Karpman Triangle:
Victim, Rescuer, Perp To the Survivor Square – Theory and Work Implications
by John Boland, M.S.W.
In 1968, Dr. Stephen Karpman wrote an article
called Fairy Tales and Script Drama Analysis. *
From this, came what was to be known as the
Karpman Triangle, a concept used widely in all kinds of therapy, particularly
Family, Couple and Mediation.
The current article here is designed to help
people understand the basics of the Triangle and then progress onto a new
concept that transforms the triangle into a positively oriented direction
for survivors. I will give case examples (optional – at request only) of
a family in crisis but not in treatment (therapy/counseling) and a couple,
very fixed, in treatment with a built-in rescuer. This article is also
meant to be interactive for the reader. All you need is a pencil, paper,
good surface to draw on, and ideally uninterrupted space and time.
When I was working in the field, one day I
was giving some time to two students whose assignment was to interview
a real live Social Worker with a pulse, to find out if they really wanted
to take the education necessary. As I was attempting to answer their questions,
all at the same time, my pager went off, my cell phone was ringing, my
regular phone was ringing, I hadn’t checked my email and someone was knocking
at my door. I shut everything down except the door which was a crisis community
mental health nurse whom I supervised and had to quickly arrange fifteen
minutes to consult on a case. The female student made a kind of small cough,
and they both thanked me for my time and left. I should, yes should, have
known it was a sign for me to leave (the job) as well. (Seeing myself as
victim).
The Triangle
To understand the triangle fully (yes, even
if you know all about the triangle), draw a triangle about the size of
half a sheet of paper in size with the bottom as a point, not a line. Now
mark the two top points as Rescuer and Perpetrator/Perp . Now I’m going
to change the word perpetrator as I simply don’t like it. It has too many
connotations. People can associate it with a crime too often. That is not
to say the perpetrator has never committed a crime as sometimes the perpetrator
has committed physical and/or sexual abuses which are serious crimes. It’s
just I want a slightly softer name (that’s easier to type). Problem is
finding another name … instigator … that’s the best I’ve come up with but
I don’t like it either. So please email me with suggestions. By the way,
wacked out son of a bitch/bitch have already been rejected.
Rescuer. Oh, but such a nicer name. Visions
of fire fighters, or someone to show up with help in the middle of the
film Out on a Limb. I don’t remember much from grad school or any
school, even forgot most of first year Calculus in which I got one hundred
percent, with sixty percent of class failing (below fifty). I do
however remember the names of all the clouds and a graduate school teacher
who told the first class that we were all there in Social Work – the ten
percent of applicants who were accepted – to “work to be social”. Turned
out he was still doing that. He implied that we needn’t work to be rescuers
as we evidently already were, or at least were ‘wannabe rescuer’
victims. So there seems to be a comforting level here, almost a savior,
Mother Teresa aspect. BZZZT… WRONG.
Victim. That’s easy although - it hurts, cause
we’ve all been one of those. An in-law of mine was one for virtually their
whole life. And how do you know for sure that you are a victim? … because
there’s going to be an instigator and rescuer nearby …
Now take that pretty triangle that you drew,
and on each side draw arrows going both ways. So two arrows each side going
opposite ways, for a grand total of six arrows. The reason … because the
triangle is often extremely fluid and volatile. And that’s the reason that
the rescuer isn’t as comfortable as it seems. You can become the victim
or the instigator or both at the same time because two others are perceiving
your role. Both at the same time. As I said volatile.
(Case Examples – AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST ONLY)
- one family case very fluid, not in treatment;
another case (marital), very fixed, in treatment, with built-in rescuer.
Three Scenarios for Change
1) When another corner is added to the triangle
representing survivor, then it makes a rectangle. Taking the survivor from
the triangle leaves three scenarios, beyond say the perpetrator and rescuer
substituting a new victim, such as another sibling.
a) If victim becomes survivor, then instigator
and rescuer are in a straight line. The prognosis here would be seen
as hopeful with a lower risk to the victim (survivor) and possibly other
members as well. Treatment here is assumed.
b) If rescuer moves to survivor, the prospect
of instigator versus victim has a poor prognosis and very high risk. Treatment
here is critical.
c) If instigator becomes survivor (say through
outside intervention), then having rescuer and victim in straight
line results in a corresponding lower risk as long as safety plan is in
place. Again treatment is critical.
Further clinical study needs to be done to
further understand the resulting dynamics when a familiar triangle is replaced
by a rectangle/square.
© 2005 John Boland
www.johnboland.com
portal2portal.com
Publishing
