Managing Parental Dissociation During a Dyadic Therapy Session: Meeting the Needs of a Dysregulated Parent and Child

Debbie is a 10 year old multiracial girl who lives with her 27 year old African American mother Sharon. Sharon has struggled for years with substance abuse. The family lived for several years in a shared space which was quite chaotic. During this time, Debbie often would be with other children in the building for many hours at a time without adult supervision. Many adults would come in and out of the building, and Debbie often did not see her mother, sometimes, for days.