Abstract
Mahler's principle of separation-individuation, widely recognized as a useful tool for understanding couples' difficulties, has been applied traditionally in one-to-one psychotherapy with individual partners. In this article, the author illustrates the use of Mahler's schema in conjoint marital therapy. Following a theoretical elaboration, the author uses excerpts from case process notes to trace a couple's development in treatment from a level dominated by symbiotic longings and related ambivalence to one reflective of increased object constancy and empathic mutuality.
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Applegate, J.S. Alone together: An application of separation-individuation theory to conjoint marital therapy. Clin Soc Work J 16, 418–429 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00755150
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00755150