THE PROBLEM OF THE SIBLING AS THE REFERRING PERSON*

This paper is the first concerning observations gathered at our Center during studies of the treatment of families with a chronically psychotic member.' It draws the attention of family therapists to a danger not uncommon in such cases, one that arises when the person referring his family of origin is a sibling of the index patient and, in many ways, the most “competent” and prestigious family member. The theoretical part of the paper and the clinical example that follows are intended to demonstrate how this pitfall can be turned into a springboard for therapeutic success.