Abstract

PELLEGRINI, Priscila Gasperin; SILVA, Isabela Machado da; BARRETO, Monica  and  CREPALDI, Maria Aparecida. Young adult differentiation: a family therapy case study. Pensando fam. [online]. 2015, vol.19, n.1, pp. 114-129. ISSN 1679-494X.

A mother and a young adult son sought psychological counseling because of the conflicts between them. It was identified a family structure marked by the fragility of the subsystems boundaries, which was associated to a detachment between the parents and to the mother-child entanglement. Their difficulty in establishing relational and environmental boundaries was evident. This absence of clear boundaries can hinder the individuation and autonomy process. The family therapy was held fortnightly, using the relational-systemic referential. Psychotherapy began with joint sessions with mother and son, which were followed by alternated individual sessions with the objective of strengthening the boundaries and the differentiation between them. The therapists emphasized personal perspectives and projects. Both have shown growing ability to think about themselves without recurrently complain about the relationship and to invest in other relations. It was noted that systemic-relational therapy may contribute to the re-establishment of possibilities and to the autonomy development.

Keywords : Family therapy; Family relations; Adult development; Young adult.

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