The Trauma Drama Triangle

Krisy's Group in 9/17/02
  9/27/02 Revision [N/C]

  Paraphrased by Kathi Stringer
Design concept - C. Ross, Graphics - Kathi Stringer

 

This idea originated from Colin Ross.  In figure 1, through repeated reenactment of the original trauma  the victim continues to be re-victimized. In this triad the victim started out as a victim and is rescued from the perpetrator. As time moves on, the rescuer may not be able to satisfy the needs of victim.  
Figure 1
  
After a series of repeated heroic efforts from the rescuer, the rescuer may become the victim, and now the victim is behaving as the perpetrator.  In other words the victim is now traumatizing the rescuer due to escalating demands that can never be met on a constant and ongoing basis.

The perpetrator could be an individual that is in a relationship with the victim, and the therapist could be the advisor -- AKA rescuer.  Or, the perpetrator may be the haunting memories from the past and continue to cause the victim to be re-victimized from maladaptive behaviors learned from childhood.  

As the arrows in Figure 1 suggest, these positions can be switched around or reversed at anytime.  The switch may happen several times in a week, day or hour.  When the victim is caught up in the cycle, it is difficult for the therapist to contain the situation by rescuing the victim, since to rescue the victim strengthens and validates victimized position.
 
Figure 2 exemplifies that for recovery to begin, the cycle must be identified and halted.  Through introspection and guidance, the victim can be empowered to eject from the never-ending cycle of victim - perpetrator - rescuer.
Figure 2
  
Dr. Ross writes, "The goal of therapy is for the survivor to step outside the triangle altogether, so that relationships are no longer dominated by the patterns and logic of the past. In order to be of assistance, the therapist must strive to remain neutral and not get locked into any position on the triangle.  Part of the work of therapy is analyzing the way current relationships re-enact the victim - perpetrator -  rescuer."