Ivan Boszormenyi Nagy introduced with his contextual therapy a challenging theory into the world of family therapy. It is rooted in a relational ethical perspective on human relations and shifts the focus of therapy from pathology to evoking reciprocal care and a genuine dialogue, based on the conviction that inter-human relations are resources for individual growth and health. This article presents a research project on the practice of the founder himself, to describe how the principles of the contextual theory and therapy can be integrated into concrete therapeutic interventions.

With the emergence of what can be called “new families,” the place and the role of the child are increasingly questioned. If a child helps a parent or takes care of them, the terms “parentified child,” “parental child,” or “adult child” are used equally. However, these concepts hide different processes that have different impacts on the child’s development. In the present article, based on the current doctoral research and clinical  practice experience, the author will try to make the distinction between these concepts and to illustrate them.