On September 11, 2021, the Child & Adolescent Initiative hosted a Zoom panel, entitled A Complex Dance Between Parents and Adolescents: Facilitating Recognition and Self-Delineation. For this panel, Lauren Gumbiner, a new IAPSP member, presented the case of 16 year old Emma, a girl with a possible autism spectrum disorder and clear social isolation. Emma’s main source of pleasure and social interaction comes from the dance studio which she attends 3-4 hours per day, 6 days per week. Lauren described, very candidly, her own struggle with the patient’s mother who hopes that Lauren will help her daughter recognize that dance is not a practical career pathway for her, and steer her towards a more realistic pursuit. Lauren framed her presentation with the organizing question, “How do I maintain my connection with my patient and simultaneously bring the parent along in the process?” Lauren knew that she needs to respond in an affirming way to Emma’s desire to be seen as capable, strong and perseverant in order to strengthen Emma’s sense of self, but wondered how to engage the mother as a mirroring selfobject for Emma as well. Lauren raises the important question of how a therapist, especially a younger therapist, gains her footing in an empathic and mutative way with a parent who she experiences as over-bearing and intrusive. Lauren provided detailed microprocess of both her sessions with Emma, as well as her meetings with the mother. This gave all participants a clear sense of what it felt to be in Lauren, Emma’s and the mother’s shoes and we were all very grateful to this intimate entry into this treatment.

Amy Joelson discussed the case and Denise Davis moderated the discussion. Amy’s discussion focused on encouraging Lauren to recognizing the strengthening of the mother-daughter bond as the primary treatment goal. She also redefined the central dilemma, the role of dance in Emma’s future, by articulating the dilemma instead as the significant role that dance has in helping Emma to reflect thoughtfully on an important experience in her life and perhaps helping the mother to recognize and affirm this ability in Emma. Amy also emphasized the need to recognize the forward edge of the bond between mother and daughter which on the surface appears fraught with conflict and strife. She recommended that Lauren support the bond and help the pair negotiate their differences. This work would facilitate Lauren seeing the mother as an ally in Emma’s treatment, mother feeling a greater sense of inclusion and Emma coming to have a closer approximation of the loving, growth-enhancing mother that she needs.

There were 22 IAPSP members in attendance. Participants were from all over the world and at a wide range of levels of clinical experience. The Child & Adolescent Initiative is very grateful to Lauren Gumbiner and Amy Joelson for all the efforts they put into providing us with such a rich program.