PSYC3336 Lecture Notes - Lecture 17: Family Therapy, Introjection, Identified Patient
Document Summary
View that the basic human motive is the search for satisfying object (person) relationships! Tries to uncover how each family member has internalized an object from the past. These imprints from the past (introjects) continue to impose themselves on current relationships with a partner, spouse, children, friends, etc. Object relations family therapist will try to understand unresolved needs being played out from one generation to the next. Problems are passed along to the next generations. The most enmeshed child (least differentiated in the family most dependent on parents) will have the lowest level of differentiation (separate, independent sense of self) Is likely to select a marital partner who is also poorly differentiated in their family. Our family"s sense of reality is maintained through the stories that we tell. You may share the same stories every christmas. Negative, dead end stories = families that are defeated. The narrative process of externalization is helpful.
