Blos combines theoretical discussion of adolescent development and psychotherapeutic aims with presentation of the once-weekly psychotherapy of a fourteen-year-old agoraphobic girl over a period of five months. He proposes that psychotherapy

aims to bring tolerance of anxiety and depressive affect. The therapist reacquaints the adolescent with inner conflict and self-illusion, thus helping him or her to deal with the most difficult task: de-idealization of self and object. This process frees the adolescent from infantile object relations. Blos also discusses assessment of normality in adolescents. He offers a clinical illustration to make clear his view.