Parenting defiant trauma
attached to both hurt child
and wounded parent
needing to continue
co-invested relationships,
positive and constant,
without breaks
in healthy communication,
direct
and, if possible,
playful

Counteracting fear
that both TraumaChild
and I
will pressure ego-me
to choose a Win
for Self
to lose relationship
by distancing from Other;

To choose Me
over We.

I want to choose both Defiance
and Deep Listening
playing win to win together
co-passionate,
positive,
healthy communication

Frustrated by
Lose-Draw-Win
triage decision-making

As if emotionless withdrawn
leftbrain dominant communication
could out-perform
actively hoping
for contagious resilience,
resonant companionship,
mutual enjoyment,
bonded courage,
cultural curiosity
re-educating accurate empathy.