Gordon and Steph live together, and their relationship seems great when they’re together. He values her presence in his life, regularly expresses his love for her, and feels lucky to have her. However, something changes when she has to leave for work. Without realizing it, Gordon’s attitude towards her shifts from appreciative to passive-aggressive. Steph feels like she’s being punished, even though she doesn’t understand why.
It seems that Gordon’s reaction is triggered by an internal struggle. When Steph leaves, Gordon’s younger, vulnerable parts feel abandoned and scared. Unable to cope with these emotions, his protector parts act out by punishing Steph. This behavior includes ignoring her, breaking promises, and crossing boundaries with other women.
Steph’s response is to try and address the issues, but her efforts only seem to worsen the situation. While she tries to communicate her needs, Gordon’s inner voices convince him that she’s manipulative and untrustworthy. He starts to see her as guilty of something, deserving of punishment.
This behavior continues until Steph returns. At this point, Gordon’s feelings shift back to normal. However, he doesn’t realize the impact of his actions on Steph. She feels unsettled and questions her decision to be in the relationship.
It’s clear that both Gordon and Steph are struggling with their inner dialogue and the impact it has on their relationship. If only they had a wise external voice to narrate their thoughts and feelings, they might be able to gain a better understanding of what’s truly happening behind the scenes.
