Psychotherapy.net – Object Relations Family Therapy
Judy, Adrian, and Pam (their 32-year-old daughter) are stuck. They don’t understand why Pam–who still lives at home–is so uncooperative. In this live session with Jill and David Scharff, this troubled family gains insight into Pam’s behavior by coming face-to-face with the pain they’ve been avoiding for ten years: the tragic suicide of Pam’s brother, Victor. Experience how the Scharffs masterfully create a psychological “holding environment” for the family, allowing them to begin to mourn the mysterious and violent loss of their beloved son and brother.
Using their own countertransference reactions as clues to what is going on beneath the surface, the Scharffs join with the Adrian, Judy, and Pam to create thought-provoking interpretations that help this family understand Pam’s symptoms in a whole new light. The compelling session is followed by a fascinating discussion with a live audience of therapists who grapple with the nuances of the Object-Relations Family Therapy approach.
Note that this is the same family as in our Bowenian Family Therapy and Structural Family Therapy videos, so it is interesting to contrast the styles of these two master therapists.
By watching this video, you will:
• Develop an understanding of the key concepts of Object-Relations Family Therapy.
• Gain insight into how Jill and David Scharff create a therapeutic relationship that allows families to face underlying anxieties.
• Learn how to apply an Object-Relations approach to your own therapeutic work with families.
