Psychodynamic understanding and systemic approach in the multi-family treatment of a day care clinic are illustrated following the case report of a seven-year old girl with school phobia due to separation anxiety. The treatment modalities of the day clinic at the University Medical Center Muenster are described focussing on the multi-systemic approach. Using psychodynamic and systemic hypotheses the process of treatment is developed. Specific interventions, differentiated into reorganizations of inner and outer world issues, are traced to psychodynamic and systemic hypotheses. In conclusion it is argued that the integration of psychodynamic and multisystemic therapy methods in day clinic parent-child treatment provide a promising treatment approach.
Keywords: anxiety disorders; multisystemic therapy; parent counselling in child psychiatry; psychodynamic therapy; separation anxiety.