70. Drama Triangle in Relationships with Katie Rössler

Do you ever find yourself slamming cupboards, going quiet, over-explaining, over-helping, or feeling resentful that nobody seems to notice how much you do? Maybe you keep telling yourself you're "just tired" or "just stressed," but deep down, you know there's a pattern playing out in your relationships, and it's exhausting. In this episode, I'm joined by relationship strategist Katie Rössler to unpack the drama triangle: the hidden dynamic that keeps so many of us stuck in cycles of victim, villain, and hero energy. If you've ever wondered why the same arguments keep happening, why you feel unseen, or why you keep over-functioning for everyone else, this conversation will hit home. And more importantly? It will show you that change is possible. This episode felt like someone holding up a mirror in the gentlest and most powerful way. Katie Rössler joins me to talk about the drama triangle, a pattern that shows up in marriages, parenting, friendships, family dynamics, and even at work. We explore how easy it is to slip into roles like the victim, the villain, or the hero without even realising it… and how those roles often come from the survival strategies we learned when we were younger. If you've ever felt like you carry everything, keep the peace, explode after bottling things up, or wonder why your partner never seems to "get it," this episode will give you language for what's actually going on underneath the surface. What I loved most about this conversation is that it doesn't stop at awareness. Katie shares how to begin shifting out of these reactive patterns and into something healthier: becoming the creator instead of the victim, the challenger instead of the villain, and the coach instead of the rescuer. This is the work that changes relationships from the inside out. Not overnight. Not perfectly. But powerfully. So if you're ready to stop repeating the same emotional loops and start showing up differently in your relationships, this episode is for you. What You'll Learn in This Episode • What the drama triangle is and why it shows up in everyday relationships • How victim, villain, and hero roles can look very different than you expect • Why people-pleasing, passive-aggression, and over-functioning are often part of the same pattern • How childhood conditioning shapes the way you react in conflict • Why changing your own behaviour can shift the entire relationship dynamic • How to pause, get curious, and respond in a calmer, more grounded way Connect with Katie Rössler Website: https://www.katierossler.com Podcast: https://www.katierossler.com/podcast YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@katierossler Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RelationshipResetwithKatie LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katierossler/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/katie.rossler/ Listen & Subscribe If this episode gave you a lightbulb moment, don't leave it there. Follow Who Do You Think You Are Talking To? on Spotify or Apple Podcasts so you don't miss the next breakthrough conversation. Don't wait for the next argument, shutdown, or emotional spiral to start paying attention. Start now.   Remember This is your reminder that you're not too much, too sensitive, or too stuck. You may just be repeating a pattern you were never taught how to interrupt. And that can change. You don't need fixing, you need awareness, tools, and support. And I'm here with you every step of the way.   This podcast is produced by www.keystepsupport.com