The transformation of the therapeutic setting: from the individual to the couple

Abstract

The article describes an individual clinical process aimed at the identification and differentiation of the subject from his family of origin, as well as the subsequent transformation of the therapeutic setting with the inclusion of the partner. He is a young adult seeking personal therapy because he is trapped in his family of origin, judged and criticised by his parents, and unable to move on with his life. He has been in a relationship for over three years and is expecting a daughter, but his parents do not agree with this choice and are pushing for an abortion. The patient is certain that he must choose between his biological family and the one he is creating. The therapeutic work enabled him to give voice to his inner voices, to the relational world he had introjected and relived, while retracing his history and biography within a trigenerational framework. The evolution of the therapy allowed for a different dialogue between the patient and his parents, a different position with his partner, and, as a result, the ability to combine the past and the future. Relationships between the couple's family of origin have improved, as has the patient's personal and professional definition.