One of my favorite lines in the movie, “Who Framed Roger Rabbit,” is when Jessica says “I’m not bad, I’m just drawn that way.” People who have problems with drugs and alcohol are not bad, they have learned some coping strategies to get their needs met in a way that looks like addiction.
People are never the problem. People might look like the problem; yet the problem lies at the strategy level of trying to get needs met.
Character flaws such as laziness, lying, cheating, judgmental, etc. are strategies used to get needs met, in a POWER OVER method when they might perceive they are in power under… Power over is a position of authority, like a parent, a boss, drill sergeant, government, etc.
These strategies come from childhood and progressively become more sophisticated as one matures. We use these strategies to obtain “power over” in relationships.
When a person becomes aware of these strategies and how their use of the strategies are toward getting needs met. They can learn other strategies that are more shared, like POWER WITH,” to work cooperatively to meet the needs of everyone.