A Question of Technique focuses on what actually happens in the therapy room and on the technical decisions and pressures that are faced daily. Coming from the Independent tradition in British psychoanalysis, the contributors, a range of experienced practitioners and teachers, describe how their technique has quietly changed and developed over the years, and put this process in its theoretical context. This book will appeal to child and adolescent psychotherapists, analysts and counsellors who wish to explore more Winnicottian approaches to therapeutic work. Reviews: 'These Independent Group psychotherapists - fortunately free of the only thing which can kill work with children, free that is of powerful a priori adult driven dogma about what a child means - let themselves think about the children in this book in an open minded way. Anyone working with children, and adult analysts who have forgotten the true child - not their invented "child-within" - will benefit from reading this refreshing book.' - Christopher Bollas, author of The Mystery of Things, Hysteria, Cracking Up and Being a Character This is a welcome and much needed book. The editors are to be congratulated on bringing together such wide-ranging and illuminating papers. -- Lydia Tischler, Consultant Child Psychotherapist, British Association of Psychotherapists This is a wise book about, among other things, the way in which humour, playfulness and acceptance of transitional relations, carefully used, can be serious professional techniques in the treatment of unreachable children and adolescents. There is also great respect shown for the carers and other professionals involved. -- Anne Alvarez, PHD MACP Honorary Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychotherapist, Tavistock Clinic Contents: Barnett, Foreword. A Note on Confidentiality. Lanyado, Horne, Introduction. Horne, The Independent Position in Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy with Children and Adolescents: Roots and Implications. Sternberg, Not Simply ‘Doing’: Thoughts from the Literature on Technique. Part I: Parent-Infant work. Dowling, 'The Capacity to be Alone’: Rediscovering Winnicott and his Relevance to Parent - Infant Psychotherapy. Hamilton, The Concept of Mourning and its Roots in Infancy (1988). Hamilton, Reflections on ‘The Concept of Mourning and its Roots in Infancy (1988)'. Part II: Latency and Adolescence. Gibbs, A Question of Balance: Working with the Looked-after Child and his Network. Lanyado, The Playful Presence of the Therapist: ‘Antidoting’ Defences in the Therapy of a Late Adopted Adolescent Patient. Horne, Brief Communications from the Edge: Psychotherapy with Challenging Adolescents. Hopkins, Narcissistic Illusions in Late Adolescence: Defensive Kleinian Retreats or Winnicottian Opportunities? Bailey, There is No Such Thing as an Adolescent. Part III: Taking the Broader View. Lanyado, Doing 'Something Else': The Value of Therapeutic communication when Offering Consultations and Brief Psychotherapy. Horne, Interesting Things to Say - and Why. Lanyado, Horne, Conclusion: Where Independent Minds Meet. |