Emotional incest: an exploratory study of therapists' perceptions of the phenomenon and their experiences with it in couple therapy practice
This research study explored the phenomenon of emotional incest; otherwise conceptualised as the emotionally enmeshed parent-child relationship. The study focused on the perceptions and experiences of therapists who have encountered the phenomenon in their work with couples presenting for therapy; where one partner in the couple war or is currently involved in a parental relationship charactersised by emotional incest. The research investigated therapists' perceptions of the phenomenon of emotional incest and explored the nature of its manifestation amongst the therapists' own caseloads. The study also examined therapists' perceptions and experiences of the impact that emotional incest has on the relationships of the couples they are working with and explored the approaches therapists take in addressing this issue in practice.
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