Too Much

When you hear the word "codependent," you might think of the traditional enabler framework involving a hapless victim and their selfless rescuer. Psychotherapist and boundary expert Terri Cole certainly did. But after years in her therapy practice, she realised that many of her clients were presenting codependent behaviours that fell outside of the classic model. Terri calls this new paradigm "high-functioning codependency" (HFC). The ironic truth with high-functioning codependency is that the more capable you are, the more your behaviour doesn't actually seem codependent. "As HFCs, our desire to feel at peace often drives us to chronic over-functioning and overinvestment with the loved ones in our lives," says Terri. "Even with those we don't love... or sometimes with folks we barely know." Here, Terri breaks down the characteristics of high-functioning codependency - including how to identify one's "HFC blueprint" - so you can get more clarity around what's going on under the