ABSTRACT
Twins take different journeys in psychotherapy than single-born individuals because of their early attachment, shared memories, and lived experiences. Twins seek out psychotherapy for different reasons that are related to their age, the attachment that they share with their twin, and the stressful events that they have had to process as children and as adults. The development of the therapeutic alliance was less intense with interdependent-identity twins because the twin always remained the ultimate authority—the go-to person. The split-identity twins gained a great deal from psychotherapy. Unlike interdependent-identity twins, they had and continue to have conflicted and disappointing relationships with their sister or brother. Most often twin separation anxiety brings parents of twins to ask for help. Addressing separation issues early in life is very important to long-range psychological well-being throughout the lifespan. Elementary school years is a period of calm for twins as they are gradually learning to have separate lives while being in close proximity to one another.
