Abstract

This case study gives an overview of the individual psychotherapy work with adolescent facing relational issues. Sara (14) comes to psychotherapy at her own request. She lives with her parents and two sisters, attends the final grade of the primary school, an excellent student with few good friends. She readily defines the therapeutic goal as “to find her peace”. She speaks of her family relations and situations that are not adequate or supportive. As the only way out, she sees various forms of self-support until she can separate herself and become independent.


The therapeutic work integrates Gestalt diagnostic framework, elements of the familysystem therapy, theory of attachment, Erikson’s psycho-social development theory and the classical diagnostic framework (DSM-5) with respect to relational psychotherapy and interpersonal neurobiology. After establishing therapeutic relationship, the key work is on support systems. The central therapeutic work includes work on opening and recognising emotions, on recognising and expressing anger, primarily in relationship with mother, on her boundaries, support systems, but also ways in which she creates contact with people around herself. Grieving is identified due to unrecognised loss in a (dysfunctional) family, attachment is analysed and the plan of change is defined. The case study includes the counter-transference reactions and insights, as well as interventions within it.