The author addresses the fact that many families with a borderline structure receive treatment throughout the life cycle. Serial episodic brief treatment is recommended, utilizing projective identification as an organizing principle to promote incremental change during each treatment episode. The author selects a child abuse case to review, that reflects the tendency of these families to have broad involvement in the social service network. Of interest is the influence of social control systems on the treatment process and the treatment relation-ship. These contextual variables are explored, utilizing the concept of a projective matrix that promotes treatment options.