Sliding doors: some reflections on the parent-child-therapist triangle in parent work-child psychotherapy

• Published in: Journal of child psychotherapy Vol. 40; no. 1; pp. 58 - 72
• Main Authors: Gvion, Yari, Bar, Nurit
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Abingdon Routledge 02.01.2014; Taylor & Francis
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Children; Individual psychotherapy; Medical sciences; Parameters; parenthood; Parents; psychodynamic therapy with children; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Psychotherapies. Psychological and clinical counseling; Psychotherapy; psychotherapy with parents; Reflection; Reminders; silent self; Treatments; Human; Therapeutic process; Analytical psychotherapy; psychodynamic therapy with children; Parent child relation; Health staff family relation; Treatment; Social interaction; parenthood; Professional practice; Family environment; psychotherapy with parents; Child; silent self
• ISSN: 0075-417X; 1469-9370
• DOI: 10.1080/0075417X.2014.883138

The parental presence as therapy agents, namely as a medium and support for the therapeutic process, is one of the paradoxical parameters of working with children. Parental presence serves as a reminder of the need to find a balance between inner and outer reality. The door that is closed in the therapy room leaves a parent on the other side but at the same time provides the child's inner world with more latitude to reveal itself. This paper examines the fabric of relations created in the therapeutic parent-child-therapist triangle (analogous to Britton's conceptualisation of the parent-parent-child link). How does this triangular connection affect the ability to be with the silent self (Winnicott) when the parent remains (tangibly and symbolically) on the other side of the therapy door? This paper presents two clinical examples to illustrate the complex fabric of relations created in the therapeutic parent-child-therapist triangle and the interactions between the internal and external reality of the parent-child relationship.