Example: A father and mother frequently expressed strong anger and often argued, yet their arguments never led to effective resolutions of the root issues. The tension between them was high, and the mother’s ability to soothe the father was very underdeveloped. Their only son was a very restless and difficult child, who increasingly fell ill and experienced problems with digestion and bowel movements. At the age of four (the most aggressive phase of early childhood), doctors discovered a “bacteria” in his large intestine and partially removed it. The condition returned the following year, leading to another surgery and further removal of the colon. Despite these procedures, the problem persisted, and during a third operation, two-thirds of his large intestine were removed, which then “resolved” the situation.
Due to the altered structure of his digestive tract, its function changed as well, requiring the child to follow a specific diet and have frequent bowel movements. At the same time, he became calmer and more stoic, absorbing part of his parents’ attention and concern, as they now had to focus much more on his diet and bowel issues than would have been necessary had he not had this “bacteria.”
He defecated three to five times per day—a pattern typical for a child—and continues to do so even today at the age of 41. Six months ago, he underwent gallbladder surgery due to chronic pain, and the gallbladder was removed. He is now without appetite, motivation, willpower, or desire.
There is no conflict in his current family, and he claims to have a harmonious and peaceful relationship with his wife. However, during further analysis, he admits that his wife is disorganized and that he only came to the in-person session because the three-hour drive to and from Brežice gave him a break. During the session, he realized that he had to take on the calming role in his primary family because neither parent was capable of fulfilling it effectively. As a result of this role, he was unable to appropriately follow the law of time and mature into an increasingly assertive man, because the family needed a peacemaker. When he left for university, his parents divorced. He maintained the same role in his current family.
Long-term distortion of function leads to a change in structure, which must adapt to function, although such change never happens without resistance from the structure, as every change triggers resistance.
The environmental pressure on the child was strong enough that the altered function he was forced into persisted despite resistance from his structure. It created a severe and lasting internal war in his abdominal cavity, resulting in a drastic and permanent structural transformation (removal of two-thirds of the colon) and a sufficient reduction in his aggressive behavior to reshape him into a stoic, overly calm figure—a feminine role. After the birth of two children and a wife with dominant masculine behavior, he had to sacrifice even his gallbladder to maintain the continuation of this maladaptive role.
Now, through learning the AEQ method, he will begin raising the integrated use of aggressive behavior and reclaiming the masculine role, which will prevent further structural transformation in an undesirable and dangerous direction.
