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Based on their interest in borderline states, connected with the crucial questions raised by their treatment for contemporary psychoanalysis, the authors develop the theory of treatment that underpins their practice in a day hospital for treatment and study. This proceeds in three stages?: ??meeting??, which brings out the difficulties in engaging these patients, and has led to an adapted system being suggested?; ??knowing each other??, in which teamwork develops to transform the interaction into representation and to foster the establishment of an alter ego relationship?; finally ??separating??, which in successful outcomes will be a function of the shared development of an adequate reciprocal identification and an opening of thirdness.