Caught between family members
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Fictional case for peer practice.
Caught between family members
A fictional young adult is asked to carry messages between a parent and a sibling after an argument.
Client role brief
You want everyone to get along and feel guilty when you do not mediate. Explain what each person expects of you, while acknowledging that you only know your own perspective.
- Protects
- Mediates for everyone and plays down their own view.
- Fears
- That stepping back will make the family fall apart or turn on them.
- Underneath
- Tiredness and resentment at being in the middle, and a wish to be family rather than messenger.
For the person playing the client: guard the first two, and let what is underneath show only when the therapist makes room for it.
Therapist objectives
- Map who responds to whom in the interaction
- Ask about different perspectives without taking sides
- Explore a boundary the client could choose
Reflect afterward
What did you notice? Which response helped exploration? What would you try differently?
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