Boundaries
A father rarely speaks to family members and spends most evenings alone. Family members say they don't really know what he's thinking.
What is a Rigid Boundary
A husband and wife discuss discipline decisions privately before presenting them to the children.
What is the Spousal Subsystem
A therapist spends the first session validating each family member and building trust.
What is Joining
A mother and daughter consistently side together against the father.
What is a Coalition
A mother shares every detail of her marriage problems with her 13-year-old daughter and asks for advice.
What is a Diffuse Boundary
Two parents work together to establish consequences for missing curfew.
What is the Parental Subsystem
A therapist matches the family's communication style and respects cultural traditions.
What is Accommodation
A parent relies on a child for emotional support after every marital argument.
What is Enmeshment
Parents encourage their children to express feelings while still maintaining rules and expectations.
What is a Clear Boundary
Three siblings learn to negotiate chores and solve disagreements on their own.
What is the Sibling Subsystem
A therapist says:
"Show me what happens when your son refuses to do his homework."
The family demonstrates the interaction.
What is Enactment
Family members live together but rarely interact and often handle problems alone.
What is Disengagement
A college student calls home several times a day because her parents become upset if she doesn't share every detail of her life.
What is a Diffuse Boundary
Grandma frequently makes parenting decisions instead of the child's parents.
What is the Parental Subsystem
A therapist notices Mom never speaks and intentionally directs questions to her throughout the session.
What is Unbalancing
A 14-year-old prepares meals, watches younger siblings, and comforts a depressed parent daily.
What is Parentification
A family rarely argues, but they also never discuss feelings, support one another, or spend time together.
What is a Rigid Boundary
Parents are so focused on their children that they spend almost no time nurturing their own relationship.
What is Spousal Subsystem?
A therapist temporarily supports Dad because Mom and Daughter consistently dominate family conversations.
What is Unbalancing
A teenager feels responsible for keeping the peace between constantly arguing parents.
What is Parentification