Object Relations Family Therapy

Name of Model

Object relations family therapy

Synonyms

Object relations couple and family therapy; Psychoanalytic family therapy; Psychodynamic family therapy

Introduction

Object relations family therapy is a group analytic approach to understanding the conscious and unconscious patterns of interaction in a family with a view to relieving the burden on the identified client and giving the family greater insight and flexibility in charting its course through life.

Prominent Associated Figures

The term object relations family therapy was coined by David E. Scharff and Jill Savege Scharff in 1987 to reflect their emphasis on the use of Fairbairn’s object relations theory as the main building block for their psychoanalytic approach to family therapy (Scharff and Scharff 1987). They were influenced by the teaching of Henry Dicks and Arthur Hyatt Williams at the Tavistock Centre in London and by the writing and teaching of Roger Shapiro and John Zinner who collaborated with Edward Shapiro...