Headmate Roles

Absorber

A headmate who “soaks up” either the optimism or pessimism of other system members. They mirror that optimism or pessimism. Some Absorbers may choose to “soak up” both, though. If they choose to “soak up” or absorb the optimism, they may be seen stuck to the hip of the system Optimist (if there is one). In this case, they’d be trying to help the Optimist’s (or Pollyana’s) goals to life the system up to better, happier places. If they choose to “soak up” or absorb pessimism, they may be stuck at the hip of the system’s Worrier or Cynic (if there are any). They’d be trying to help with their goals to point out bad things that could happen and maybe even help disrupt system life.

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Age Forge / Age Forging

When a system member grows up mentally rather than physically in some way. They would normally act more mature and maybe take on a more caring or teenager or adult role while they’re mentally progressing.

Age Slider

Person whose age changes, or who identifies as being different ages at different times. Can sometimes be confused with Age Regression, but for a system, they're pretty much the same.

Animive / Animotic

A headmate that co-fronts or fronts to make the system acknowledge and work through negative emotions instead of repressing or ignoring them. Depending on the intentions of the headmate in question, they could be considered a protector or a persecutor, or both simultaneously.

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Big

Adults in the system. Can be either 18+ or 21+, ages aren't agreed on.

Caretaker

Used to describe a headmate that has the role of comforting the body, system, host, core or other specific headmates or groups of headmates. They can help by aiding emotionally or physically.

Coach

A headmate whose role is to make sure the system’s body is healthy with a healthy and balanced diet along with good exercise. They will often try to teach other system members about what they know to hopefully get some help and support from them. Their success rate depends on how much effort other system members are willing to put in to keep up the effort. Some Coaches may also be helpful to system members in the mental health department as well, making sure everyone is mentally healthy or as mentally healthy as possible.

Synonyms: Mentor, Trainer.

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Companion

System mates that exist to keep other system mates company.

Cruxen

For those whose spiritual system experiences split souls. This term is for the “core” or “original” or “main” soul piece.

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Cynic

A headmate that thinks very negatively, like a Worrier, but wants to disrupt life in some way for other system members or the system as a whole. They may do this because they want other system members to understand or relate to their constant negative emotions or because they have some anger issues or because of a number of other reasons. Their disruptiveness can be “small” things or things that are bigger. It all depends on how disruptive to life they want to be and how disruptive they’re allowed to be.

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Diplomat/Ambassador

A system member that acts as a representative of the system, wether that be through internal or external communication. They may try to “make peace” or come to agreements and truces with outside forces for the benefit of the system.

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Emotionalist

A headmate feels a lot of emotions, but is good at expressing those emotions to others. They are good at advocating their emotions to others as well as advocating for other system members. They also tend to be good at expressing the feelings of the system as a whole to other people as well. Whether this be through actions or words.

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Escutcheon

A headmate who is very open with their feelings, but tries to put up a shield of sorts so that external forces or internal forces can’t hurt them at all or not as much. They’re often system members that are normally described as being tough and don’t like the idea of being or being seen as vulnerable. They often will try to detach themselves from their emotions in some way, especially if any or all other system members are feeling the same or in a similar way to them.

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Executioner

Could be a headmate who tends to be a bit aggressive or off-putting to others who feels the need to interject themselves into arguments outside of the headspace. They don’t try to calm the argument down or come to a compromise, instead they assert themselves into it and say their peace before potentially backing out. However, if the outside person they’re arguing with continues arguing as well, they may likely stay in front to continue arguing back. Often, they are inserting themselves into the arguments because they felt personally attacked in some way or the argument or person upset them in some way. Their goal is not to protect themselves or anyone else in the system, but to try to have their feelings and opinions on the matter heard. This can but doesn’t have to include headmates who may sometimes purposely and personally mess up relationships outside of headspace that they deem “not important,” “not worth while,” or they believe is somehow harmful to them and maybe even the whole system. Even if other system members don’t agree that this is the case.

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Frijōn

A headmate who’s very friendly and wants to be friends with everyone inside and outside of the system. They love to work on group projects and are happiest talking to or making friends!

Synonyms: Comrade, Chum, Frēond, Friund.

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Guardian

A headmate who protects the system from internal threats like violent persecutors and fighting within the system.

Host

(Also: co-host) A headmate who inhabits the front most of the time. Systems can have no or multiple hosts.

Hygienist

Pretty straight forward, but this is a headmate who makes sure that the body is kept clean and well-maintained in the hygiene department. They may do this by taking front when needed, at (a) certain time(s), once a day, and/or by keeping up with what other headmates are doing while in front to make sure they do their part as

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Internal Self Helper

A system member that holds knowledge about the system, alters, trauma, and/or internal workings. May or may not also be a gatekeeper

Kroppens Ursprung

Sort of a synonym for “original” or “core” but wherein no headmates split from them and they just happen to be the first to control or enter the body. Primarily for spiritual systems.

Synonyms: Kär, Tera, Ker

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Lone Wolf

A headmate that sticks to themself. They may or may not be close with only a select number of system members or they may be close with most everyone in the system. However, they don’t tend to front much and don’t like interacting internally or externally in big groups. When they do front, they often like to do so alone (not co-fronting) and don’t engage externally with many people unless necessary. Just because they like to be alone, though, doesn’t mean they can’t contribute to the system or that they don’t have a lot to contribute.

Synonyms: Loner.

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Magician

A headmate that posesses magical qualities or practices magic of some kind, this includes anything from harry potter universe type magic, to modern everyday witchcraft, and everything in between.

Synonyms: Magic Caster / Caster

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Main

Different from host, in they don’t actually have to front that much. The main people or person that everyone basically draws energy from. Usually someone that nearly everyone in system thinks of as a Main Person. There can be multiple mains.

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Mapper

A system member that maps out and charts the headspace, whether that be physically or internally.

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Memory Holder

A system member that holds memories, usually traumatic ones, or even good memories about bad people. Can be Trauma Holders.

Negotiator

A headmate whose role is to settle disputes or arguments externally with singlets or other systems apart from their own. They find compromises where other system members may be reluctant to or too stubborn to even consider. They take pride in finding the “middle ground” that everyone can in some way agree on.

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Nightwatcher

A system member that takes over front at night exclusively. They front when the rest of the system is asleep.

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Optimist

A headmate who is always trying to find the good in things for themselves, the system, and others! Whether that be finding more good in an already good thing or the little bit of good in a primarily bad thing. They try to boost other system members up when they’re down and are always looking for any of the potential positives in anything that happens. They also tend to be, but don’t have to be, the life of a party.

Synonyms: Pollyanna.

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Peacemaker

A headmate whose purpose is to find compromises for internal disputes between system members. They take pride in settling arguments for the better in which everyone is happy with the outcome.

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Perpetrator

A system member who is mean or angry to people outside of the system, mostly to keep the system safe. This is normally a result of trauma.

Symnoms: Avenger, Aggressor

Persecutor

Headmates who purposefully harm the body, system, host, core, or other headmates, sabotage the system's goals or healing, or work to assist the system's abuser(s).

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Petmate

A headmate that is either an animal or a pet of a system member.

Source: Coined by Strawberry Fields System.

Protector

Protectors are headmates who protect the body, system, host, core, or other specific headmates or groups of headmates. Physical protectors might take or try to prevent physical abuse or become aggressive in an attempt to defend against physical abuse. Verbal protectors might take verbal abuse or lash back verbally in order to counter verbal abuse. Emotional protectors might take emotional abuse or comfort other headmates to soften the effects of emotional abuse.

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Protescutor

A headmate who would technically be a prosecutor otherwise but they and/or their headmates don’t feel it totally fits or don’t like the connotations. Usually a headmate who “isn’t as much of a jerk” as persecutors are seen as. Can also be used for headmates who are both persecutors and protectors.

Synonyms: Defender, Vigilante, Shielder

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Receptionist

A system member who can invite new members into the system (usually using the system’s Gate to invite them) with the ability to assign the new system member(s) to a subsystem.

Synonyms: Secretary

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S/xual Member

A system member who is possibly hypers/xual, a response to abuse. Some use/prefer s/xual protector

Syllogist

A headmate who focuses on logic and statistics when it comes to just about anything. They especially use it to determine how system wise or system member decisions might turn out. They can also tend to use it to justify their own feelings about certain things or to try to shut down their emotions if they view them as “wrong” or “illogical.” This can either be a headmate that already feels a lot of emotions or very little or in between.

Synonyms: Logician.

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System Manager/Admin

System mates that help keep the system organized. May keep track of headmates, medications, appointments, etc.

Swordsperson (or swordsman/swordswoman)

A system member that is very protecting of their friends, partners, and/or family. They focus on protecting those they care about outside of the system rather than those within. Depending on their overall personality, they may seem or come off as “over-protecting” to others but that’s just primarily how they show that they care. They can be a regular protector as well, but don’t have to be. Synonyms: Bodyguard, Guard, Caretaker

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Timer

A headmate that “keeps time” for the system and makes sure the system is where they need to be on time (work, school, meetings, hangouts, parties, etc). They tend to get stressed if anyone (inside or outside the system) is running late but can sometimes also get stressed out if they tend to be places too early and have to wait for things to begin or other people to arrive.

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Trauma Holder

Trauma holders are headmates who hold memories that are traumatic in nature so that other headmates don't have to deal with them.

Synonyms: Trauma bearer, Memory holder

Worrier

A headmate that often worries for the worst even if they don’t mean to. They often focus much more on the bad than the good, even sometimes finding something bad in something that’s primarily good. They don’t want to disrupt the system, but sometimes their over-worrying can do that.

Synonyms: Pessimist, Downer.

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