Many people are familiar with trauma through the work of Gabor Maté — and understand why high-performing individuals can feel exhausted, anxious, or disconnected.
Family Scapegoating Abuse, as identified by Rebecca C. Mandeville, explains how one person in a family system is assigned the role of “the problem” — not because of who they are, but because of what the system needs.
Understanding this is powerful.
But if your environment still activates stress responses, your body stays in survival mode.
The work becomes practical.
- Reduce exposure to what activates you
- Stabilise the body
- Rebuild identity outside the assigned role
That's where energy returns.