"The question of loss is at the heart of the work we do with families at the Centre Monceau.... more "The question of loss is at the heart of the work we do with families at the Centre Monceau. This article first describes the ambiguous loss model developed by Pauline Boss (1999) and then presents a case study that shows how the experience of loss, through its fractal organization, helps to create a definition of the family and comes to represent a condition for belonging to the family. Weakened by ambiguous losses caused by unwanted migration, the family in question is not able to move forward in the process of mourning following the death of a “weighty third” (Goldbeter, 1999). In order to regain stability, the family places the therapist in this key position at the heart of the family in an attempt to replace what they have lost. Transformation then becomes possible; conditions within the family become more appropriate to the age of the children; family members finally find themselves in more clearly defined positions, and the grieving process can progress."
The metaphoric redefinition of a symptom is a common technique in family therapy. Addiction, depr... more The metaphoric redefinition of a symptom is a common technique in family therapy. Addiction, depression, and retreat in work or behind a computer can be reframed as a withdrawal into a bubble which isolates the individual from others, protecting them from any undesirable interaction. We studied the use of this metaphor from conversations transcribed from 12 therapy sessions with a patient who has addictive behaviors. Results show that the bubble metaphor leads the consultants to mention the feeling of abandonment and loss, which they feel toward the withdrawn person. In turn, they create their own bubble in order to cope with the deterioration of their relationships in everyday life. This question of ambiguous loss (Boss, 1999) rapidly reveals a non-elaborated grief. This allows us to work with a circular approach, by combining the diachronic axis and the synchronic axis, to better understand how loss structures family relations.
"The question of loss is at the heart of the work we do with families at the Centre Monceau.... more "The question of loss is at the heart of the work we do with families at the Centre Monceau. This article first describes the ambiguous loss model developed by Pauline Boss (1999) and then presents a case study that shows how the experience of loss, through its fractal organization, helps to create a definition of the family and comes to represent a condition for belonging to the family. Weakened by ambiguous losses caused by unwanted migration, the family in question is not able to move forward in the process of mourning following the death of a “weighty third” (Goldbeter, 1999). In order to regain stability, the family places the therapist in this key position at the heart of the family in an attempt to replace what they have lost. Transformation then becomes possible; conditions within the family become more appropriate to the age of the children; family members finally find themselves in more clearly defined positions, and the grieving process can progress."
The metaphoric redefinition of a symptom is a common technique in family therapy. Addiction, depr... more The metaphoric redefinition of a symptom is a common technique in family therapy. Addiction, depression, and retreat in work or behind a computer can be reframed as a withdrawal into a bubble which isolates the individual from others, protecting them from any undesirable interaction. We studied the use of this metaphor from conversations transcribed from 12 therapy sessions with a patient who has addictive behaviors. Results show that the bubble metaphor leads the consultants to mention the feeling of abandonment and loss, which they feel toward the withdrawn person. In turn, they create their own bubble in order to cope with the deterioration of their relationships in everyday life. This question of ambiguous loss (Boss, 1999) rapidly reveals a non-elaborated grief. This allows us to work with a circular approach, by combining the diachronic axis and the synchronic axis, to better understand how loss structures family relations.
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PAPERS by Nathalie Duriez