Dear Alexandria:

I think that you want and need to express yourself authentically in the group setting, to be in the center of attention sometimes, to be heard.  I think that you suffer when you are in the shadow.

Your boyfriend’s brother’s girlfriend took center stage her way. You need to take center stage (part of the time) but not her way, your way. Question is how can you do that without being confrontational. It would not have been appropriate, in the group setting during the trip, to tell her something like: you are kissing a** and you are babying your boyfriend!

But you can express yourself authentically otherwise. If you gave me a description of a short conversation that took place in the group, during the trip, she said/ he said run down, maybe I could come up with something, or you can.

anita