An internal family systems therapist observes that his teenaged client is rebelliously acting out at home and her parents are frantically trying to manage the teen with greater and greater punishments. How would the therapist identify this polarization?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The therapist would identify this polarization as manager-firefighter polarizations. The parents' attempts to control the situation with punishments represent the manager parts, while the teen's rebellious behavior is a firefighter response, acting out to distract from or soothe underlying distress.

An Internal Family Systems Therapist Observes That His Teenaged Client