Exploring the core energy traits of the caregiver and helper archetype. The signs, symptoms and psychology behind the over-helper personality, the over-carer. And it’s overlap with the wounded healer, fixer and over-rescuer.
Why do I always feel I need to help everyone I meet? What is the helper archetype and what is the shadow?
The Core Energy Of The Helper Archetype Is
Let me help you with this problem… the helper archetype automatically jumps into caregiving, that is why it is also known as the caregiver archetype.
These over-caring, over helper types have a common habit of offering to help before someone has actually processed what is happening, they help without being asked.
Their big hearts, compassion and empathy, attracts a lot of people who lean on them for emotional support and help.
Because many of these strong caregivers, over helpers are often empaths who take on a lot of emotional baggage; the emotional pain and wounding of those around them. They are more likely to suffer from burnout especially empathy and compassion fatigue.
Why The Helper Archetype Struggles To Say NO
Most over givers and over helpers are also more likely to struggle with boundaries, say NO, even when they are over committed or suffering from depletion
Because helping helps lower the discomfort and emotional anxiety they experience in relation to others suffering.
This makes caregiver and helper types more likely to be taken advantage of and also create enabling and co-dependent relationships, where the person you try to help continues to be a victim or develops learned helplessness.
Life’s over-helpers tend to over work, over-function in both their personal and professional roles. They tend to take on more than their fair share which again leads to burnout, not just mental and emotional burnout, but physical burnout.
The Psychological Wounding Of The Shadow Helper Archetype
The wounds that make someone an over helper are the psychological wounds or traits that evolve from childhood wounding and patterning.
Parentification From A Young Age:
Such as the child who is given over-responsibility, over helping roles such as parentification from a young age, such as emotionally supporting or caring for a parent or caregiver, taking care of younger siblings.
The Empathic, Sensitive Or Hypervigilant Child
The empathic, highly sensitive or hypervigilant child who has developed heightened sensitivity to the moods and behaviours of those around them, to such a degree that has become a dysfunctional survival response.
Conditional Self-Worth
Where the child’s self worth is derived from the belief they are only of value if they act, think, feel or behave a certain way. This leads to only feeling safe or loved when helping, fixing, caring, saving, rescuing others. That is why these children become the over carers, over givers and over helpers.
Moving From Over-Helping To Supporting And Empowering
One of the biggest shifts that will help an over-giver, over-helper or even rescuer is to recognise the mindset, the beliefs and patterns that are keeping them stuck as well as inner child work.
Learn how to make a simple shift from rescuing and enabling into healthier helping and supporting. In my new Rescuer Archetype Masterclass.
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