A Type Relationships

A type relationships are the kind made infamous in the 80's and 90's by the concept of co-dependency.

In A type relationships, if you pull away one othe the legs of the letter, the other will fall. There is too much dependence - neither leg can stand alone.

Pay attention to music lyrics and you can notice how well we have been conditioned to believe this is the norm for relationships.

H Type Relationships

In the H type relationship, there is little, if any, connection between the two legs. If one leg is pulled away, the other one hardly notices, and there is little or no effect on the relationship.

We were given this model by John Wayne and Clint Eastwood, with the myth of strong, independent and lonely man. When applied to real life, it seems the main thing that transfers from the big screen is the lonely part.

M Type Relationships

The M type relationship is characterized by what I call "mutual interdependence." This is where two whole people come together to form an imtimate partnership, in which both the relationship and each partner are able and encouraged to grow.

The needs of each partner are totally met inside the relationship or outside of the relationship. A balance of both is required for a great relationship.