I am deeply moved by the Core Energetics perspective that personality, behaviors, and even body shape are formed by the movement of energy as we reacted to our environment and adapted ourselves for survival. This began at least from the moment we had a heartbeat.
Our early strategies lay the groundwork for future patterns, so our infancy and early childhood experiences really shape our personality and beliefs as we develop into adults. Unfortunately, what worked for us when we were a child often are the very patterns that lead to and maintain us in our problems and dissatisfaction in our adult lives.
Some of my hardest challenges in parenting are: to manage the constantly competing needs of my child and myself, and the conflict and questions around when to discipline a child’s tantrum and expressions of anger and frustration. Questions like, what does a parent do when a toddler or kindergartner is upset, crying or screaming, and what are the consequences on the child’s development? Is it best to teach them early that they need to stop crying and control their emotions? If we choose to offer empathy and compassion, do we let the child cry and scream? For how long? Or is this the time to teach them positive thinking to stop feeling upset? How does a parent find that holy middle ground of authoritative parenting that lies between authoritarian and permissive parenting?
Continue reading below, my full essay Parenting Through the Lens of Core Energetics, written when I was at SSBP.
Rebecca Liu 