INFO:

Emotional incest is often thought of as being parentu002Fchild dynamics. However, I’ve encountered situations where siblings create conflicts with their brother or sister in laws because of underlying competition with a sibling’s partner. Many partners who are the target of this competition are initially confused because they are not accustomed to this unconventional competition. When they try to process their feelings, they feel lonely because they are ashamed that this is happening. However, decreasing stigma around this shame is important because emotional incest is more common amongst sibling dynamics than most realize. It typically stems from situations where one sibling is idealized and placed on a pedestal by parents who practice overt favoritism.