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tijdschriftpersoonsgerichte
experiëntiële
psychotherapie
Process-oriented
Existential
Interactional
Integrative

Individuation and Attachment: Development of Peers in the Adolescent Therapy Group

ARTICLETijhuis, Leo - 39–3 (2001)

SUMMARY

Adolescent group psychotherapy is discussed in the theoretical frames of two aspects of developmental psychology: individuation and attachment. Both developmental lines are intertwined from a dialectic perspective. The process of individuation is the separating into bonding. Attachment is the relating into autonomy.
In the interpersonal context of the therapy group how he can separate from the emotional bonding to parents and how he may find his personal identity in the relationship with peers. In the case illustration the process of individuation is given by discussion of five group dynamic searchlights of the development of individuation.
The group psychotherapist of the adolescent therapy group is confronted with the task to create a therapeutic good enough parenthood in the therapy group in order to intermediate the processes of attachment and individuation.

KEYWORDS

individuation, attachment

The tPeP (Journal Person-centered experiential Psychotherapy) is the scientific journal for Dutch and Flemish psychotherapists, psychologists, and psychiatrists, that work from, or are interested in a client-centered perspective.