Triangulation With Children And The Narcissist’s New Supply

Narcissistic Triangulation

IN THE CONTEXT of narcissistic abuse, triangulation is a manipulation tactic in which one person engineers a rivalry between two other people or groups. The aim is to prevent the opponents from uniting against the manipulator, who uses the conflict to control and exploit both factions. Macedonian King Philip II called the strategy divide et impera, but it is more commonly known as divide and conquer.

In order to maintain dominance, highly narcissistic people tend to use oppositional parenting strategies with current or former partners. It’s distressing enough when a narcissistic person triangulates a former partner with their new romantic interest, but the wound cuts much deeper when the triangulation is used to weaken the bonds between the former partner and their child.

A community member submitted the following question:

I am being triangulated with my ex narcissist’s new partner. They are telling our children that the new partner is a better parent because they are carefree, while I have been battling anxiety & depression. Ultimately, they want the children to move in with them. In your opinion, what is the best course of action for someone in my situation?

For answers, we turned to clinical psychologist and parent-child attachment specialist, Dr. Michael Kinsey, author of ‘Transcendent Parenting: A Workbook For Parents Sharing Children With Narcissists,’ for his analysis.

1. Play the long game

It’s painful when a child expresses a preference for their other parent and their new partner. Parents experience feelings of fear, abandonment, and anger at the unfairness of the rejection. However, it can be helpful to look at the situation through a wide lens.

Dr. Michael Kinsey encourages parents sharing children with narcissistic partners to look at the big picture.

“I think that there’s the short view and the long view here,” explains Dr. Kinsey, “The short term view can be pretty discouraging. The kids may believe it, they may be acting in line with what the alienating or narcissistic parent is feeding them. But the thing to keep in mind with narcissistic people is that if you have an estranged relationship with them you are one of many people. The hallmark of narcissistic personality disorder is there have chronically strained relationships. And the reason for this is that everyone ultimately has a fall from grace with a narcissist. People will always see through the façade at some point. Maybe at first just for a few moments. Maybe there will be a prolonged estrangement that develops between the narcissist and the kids. But there will always be an opportunity.”

2. Don’t take the narcissist’s bait

It’s tempting to enter into a competition with the narcissistic person’s new partner, to utter a snarky response when your children comes home repeating praise of the new partner and criticism of you. But that will only encourage the narcissistic person because it shows that their manipulation is working.

Dr. Kinsey says that it’s best not to take the bait, “You stay above the fray. You don’t comment on it. You don’t respond to it. You speak to the kids. You don’t speak to the narcissist through the kids.”

3. Be your child’s safe harbor

Once you have processed your feelings about the situation, start focusing on taking the best possible care of yourself so you can show up fully and with an open heart for your child.

Take the best possible care of yourself so you can show up fully for your child.

“What I would advise people to do,” says Dr. Kinsey, “Is to create a very welcoming, open, accepting, non-contentious environment for the kids to return to. In many ways, that’s the best you can do.”

It’s okay to gently let your child know how you feel. Dr. Kinsey gives an example of what this might look like, “You speak to the kids and you say, ‘It really hurts that it feels that way to you, that this other parent is better, but I’m your mother or father and I’m always here for you.'”

Final Thoughts

It’s not easy raising children with combative partners. It’s important to remember that extreme narcissism is a post-traumatic stress adaptation and that much of their crazy making behavior is not about you. Highly narcissistic people are often acting out repetitions of early life conflicts.

As much as narcissistic people seek to shift everyone’s attention on to themselves, its important to support children by making sure that their needs remain the top priority. Learn more about preventative steps you can take to protect your child’s mental health and how to answer your child’s questions about a narcissistic parent.

If you feel that you or a loved one could benefit from additional support with triangulation, reach out to Dr. Kinsey at Mindsplain

Books by Michael Kinsey, Ph.D.

Quotes about excessive narcissism and triangulation


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4000 Miles

Survivor Voices | Poetry | Narcissistic Abuse Rehab

Intoxicated by your love
Or what I thought
was your love
Reciprocated with my love
True, accepting, encouraging
My all-encompassing love

And it was amazing
Walking on air
All guns blazing
No need for sleep
Because you would keep
Me going
Just the thought of you was enough to sustain me
Just knowing I was yours
You were mine
No need to keep track of time

Then you changed
Or what you presented to me
Changed
Looking back there were red flags flying high
You were the victim, so meek & shy
How could he treat you like this?
I understand why you cried
You
So pretty, so innocent
For him to do all these things
Well, it was just a sin.

But then the mask did begin
to slowly slip
And words were exchanged
To me, just a blip
I want the best for you
For you to be happy
You told me
Yet when we came to it
And when I needed to see my kids
You punished me
Went silent on me
Cold & distant
You imprisoned me
But I tried to reassure you
To constantly reassure you
You told me you broke up with me in your mind
Without even giving me any time

Your energy changed
Never the happy, loving woman
Was I to see again
As you started to harvest your crops & grain
Of seeds sown during our relationship
You never stopped

Our routine changed
And distance grew I was never enough
Deep down I knew
You would never talk
Engage or discuss
Anything important relating to us

You never wanted to accept
Your failings, your feelings
Of inadequacy, inept
So you breadcrumbed me along
This whole time
Dancing to your song
Planning your discard
No matter how hard I would take it
You knew I’d be devastated.

Because I gave you everything
I defended you to my family
To my children
To all
I would stand up
to every wrong word
For which I would ultimately fall
You manipulated
And gaslighted me
And when I asked
You said it was me

But I ignored the red flags
lying about messaging guys
On Twitter, on Facebook
I didn’t even have to look
Again
I didn’t want to look
You played me for a fool
And I naively fell for you
And that makes me angry
Angry and sad
Disappointed and mad
At myself
Not at you

You wasted my time
you took it away
With each passing day
You drained me
You hurt me
And then
faster than light
You desert me
Shame on you
Shame on you
Goddamn shame on you

But I know your time will come
You can hide
You can run
From the twisted lies
That you tell yourself
But you can’t hide from the Universe
Who knows who you are
And you cant hide from God
Who sees you as you are

Inside your heart
Unlike mine, full of passion & fervour
Yours empty & cruel
The truth’s in the mirror
Because the mirror doesnt lie
And like a true coward
You couldnt look me in the eye

Your eyes they betray you
They slice & they slay you
For they scream the lies
You try to hide
But it doesnt matter
Because I knew
I could read you
I could tell you
What you were hiding

And when I did
then your rage came fighting
But it only masked
And confirmed
The reasons for your deception
Which now lie in wait
For another poor soul’s devastation
As you hunt and you weed
To get the supply for your need

So now I have comfort
I have freedom in forgiveness
In knowing my heart is good
I know my heart is a loving heart
Deserving of more than what you did to me
But with yours
With yours?
You can never love
You will never know true love
God help you
God bless you
I forgive you

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