Case of the Week (CW) - N°3 (The case of Dora – a systemic perspective)

Submitted by Joke on Oct 09, 2017 in Case of the Week

Our third case of the week provides a very interesting insight into the commonalities between family therapy and psychoanalysis by reconsidering Freud’s Dora case.

In both therapeutic approaches, the symptoms of Dora are perceived as functional. From a family therapy perspective, Dora’s illness serves as a homeostasis as it holds two disturbed fractured families together. Freud considered his analysis a failure. From a systemic point of view however, it was a partial success.

The case study is inspiring as it explains how systemic concepts such as homeostasis, intergenerational boundaries or family life-cycle are linked to important psychoanalytic concepts such as resistance, Oedipus complex or developmental arrest.

Here you can find the link to the case in our Archive (registration is required):

http://singlecasearchive.com/archive/psychoanalysis-and-family-therapy-freuds-dora-case-reconsidered-1

To find our previous cases of the week, go to http://www.singlecasearchive.com/blog.

Warm greetings,

The SCA team

Dora , family therapy , psychoanalysis, homeostasis,