Rosa, age 18, was a good student all through high school,
but still felt that she never could live up to her parents’ high expectations for her.
Rosa has recently developed a serious eating disorder.
After much urging from her friends, she decided to seek help.
After an initial session with Rosa, her therapist decided that she would make more progress
if her parents and younger sister also attended the therapy sessions.
Rosa’s parents resisted, fearing that the therapist would try to blame them for Rosa’s problems.
After the therapist assured them that the focus would be on trying to help Rosa,
the parents consented to become part of the treatment plan.
At each treatment session, the therapist encourages Rosa to talk about her experiences
as a child and a teen in her parents’ household, and how their expectations influenced her behavior.
Then the therapist asks the parents and sister to share their perspectives on those events.
The session ends with the therapist giving each person a specific assignment for the next week,
designed to improve communication and the expression of feelings within the household.