‘A magnificent book that is rich in clinical material and a must-read for (mental) health care professionals, many of whom will recognise their own childhood history of parentification and the far-reaching consequences of it.’Prof. Em. Dr Nel Draijer, emeritus associate professor of Psychiatry, University of Amsterdam (NL), psychologist, psychotherapist and psychoanalyst. ‘It was Boszormeny-Nagy who originally defined the concept of parentification, but it is definitely Kinet who masterfully deconstructs, enriches and revitalises it in his new book. Marvellously written and full of clinical wisdom, this book is a must-read for every clinician working in the fields of psychotherapy, psychiatry and psychoanalysis.’Prof. Dr Benedicte Lowyck, clinical psychologist and associate professor at KU Leuven (BE). ‘Mark Kinet offers a profound exploration of parentification, weaving together psychoanalytic and systemic thinking with remarkable clarity. His gripping narratives and intellectual depth make this work a touchstone for anyone seeking to grasp the full complexity of this phenomenon.’Prof. Dr Peter Rober, Professor at KU Leuven (BE) and author of Becoming an Effective Family Therapist (Routledge, 2024)‘Parentification is an invisible yet profoundly influential force that shapes the emotional lives of many people. Mark Kinet takes the reader on a comprehensive journey into this concept, moving between psychoanalytic theory, systemic thinking, attachment research, and clinical practice. A rich and empathetic work that is indispensable for clinicians, researchers, and anyone who wants to understand – and change – the hidden dimensions of family life. Prof. Dr Nicole Vliegen, Professor at KULeuven (BE), psychoanalytic child psychotherapist and psychoanalyst‘He did it again. Mark Kinet knows better than anyone how to connect an essential phenomenon from clinical practice with the history of the theory formation surrounding it. This book focuses on the suffering caused by parentification. The traces of this traumatic process can be found in “ghosts in the nursery”, present in internalised object representations, fantasies or through neuropsychoanalytic mechanisms. With his many case studies, Kinet once again touches on the core of psychoanalytic work: “understanding and working through the parent's inner history.’Prof. Em. Dr Frans Schalkwijk, emeritus professor at the University of Amsterdam (NL), psychoanalyst, and former editor-in-chief of Tijdschrift voor Psychoanalyse (Dutch Journal of Psychoanalysis).‘Drawing on both systemic and psychoanalytic perspectives, Mark Kinet offers a compelling and comprehensive account of parentification. With vivid and lucid prose, he weaves together rich theoretical reflections and finely nuanced clinical insights. For anyone seeking to understand parentification from multiple angles—its manifestations in children and adult patients, and its relevance to choosing a psychotherapeutic vocation—this book is an essential read.’Prof. Dr Reitske Meganck, associate professor of clinical psychology and psychoanalysis at Ghent University (BE) and a psychoanalytic psychotherapist in private practice. ‘When children grow up too soon, something essential is lost—and something enduring is formed. In this profound psychoanalytic study, Mark Kinet traces how parentification quietly shapes personality, attachment, vocation, and suffering across a lifetime. Drawing on rich clinical material and the full depth of psychoanalytic theory, this book reveals parentification as both a hidden wound and a powerful, fate-shaping force in adult psychic life.’Prof. Dr Damiaan Denys, psychiatrist and philosopher, Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Amsterdam (NL)
