The task of dissolving infantile dependency ties to the mother and family during adolescence has been frequently cited as a major developmental task of adolescence. The role of the mother in the resolution of the rapprochement crisis as it continues into adolescence was illustrated through a case analysis of a 14-year-old boy and his mother. The symptoms of the adolescent included anxiety, poor school performance, and drug abuse. The mother sought treatment for intense anxiety and overwhelming dread when contemplating her future and that of her son. The child's crisis and his mother's were connected and occurred sequentially. His anxiety revived her earlier unresolved feelings of abandonment, and she was unable to support his individuation. He turned to drugs as a substitute for his mother as well as for protection against his yearnings for her and her intrusion. The process of reworking separation and individuation in adolesence must be understood in the context of the parent child relationship. (JAC)