Technique in Child and Adolescent Analysis

153 Pages·2010·0.75 MB·English

by  Michael Günter

TECHNIQUE IN CHILD
AND ADOLESCENT ANALYSIS
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TECHNIQUE IN CHILD
AND ADOLESCENT
ANALYSIS
Edited by
Michael Günter
Translated by Harriett Hasenclever
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First published in 2011 by
Karnac Books Ltd
118 Finchley Road
London NW3 5HT
Copyright © 2011 by Michael Günter
The right of Michael Günter to be identified as the author of this work has
been asserted in accordance with §§ 77 and 78 of the Copyright Design and
Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in
a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic,
mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior
written permission of the publisher.
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
A C.I.P. for this book is available from the British Library
ISBN-13: 978-1-85575-715-8
Typeset by Vikatan Publishing Solutions (P) Ltd., Chennai, India
Printed in Great Britain
www.karnacbooks.com
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CONTENTS
FOREWORD vii
BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES xi
INTRODUCTION xv
CHAPTER ONE
Problems of technique in analysis of children
and adolescents: transference—interpretation—play 1
Michael Günter
CHAPTER TWO
“Lillifee thinks she’s an arsehole.” Three levels
of technique in child analysis: containment,
transformation, interpretation 13
Angelika Staehle
v
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vi CONTENTS
CHAPTER THREE
Clinical and technical problems in child and adolescent
analysis (following in Bion’s footsteps) 43
Antonino Ferro
CHAPTER FOUR
What about the transference? Technical issues
in the treatment of children who cannot symbolize 61
Maria Rhode
CHAPTER FIVE
Identity and bisexuality: thoughts on technique
from the analysis of an adolescent girl 75
Helga Kremp-Ottenheym
CHAPTER SIX
Some thoughts on psychoanalytical technique in the
treatment of adolescents: on the development of body
image, body ego, and ego structures 89
Elisabeth Brainin
CHAPTER SEVEN
Rivals or partners? The role of parents
in psychoanalytical work with children 111
Kai von Klitzing
REFERENCES 121
INDEX 129
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FOREWORD
The importance of child analysis
Introduction
This book is a strong, powerful voice for the importance of child
analysis.
Psychoanalytic work with children and adolescents is currently
under threat. In a time of financial pressures, there is a demand for
brief ‘quick fixes’ that can be provided for large numbers of trou-
bled young people. We recognize that the need for help is far more
widespread than was previously thought. However, what often goes
unrecognized is the emotional turmoil of development that under-
lies ‘the problem’. If emotional, intellectual, and social development
are to be fostered, this turmoil must be addressed. Psychoanalytic
work is with the underlying emotional turmoil, this is not addressed
by ‘quick fixes’ which modify only the presenting problem. Psycho-
analytic work with children and young people can promote emo-
tional growth and assist the individual, both to use their potential
and to accept their limitations
Child analysis has to, therefore, prove its value to funders,
politicians, government. But it must also convince adult psycho-
analysts that it is truly psychoanalytic, not an application, but as
vii
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viii FOREWORD
much psychoanalysis as adult analysis. The theoretical core of adult
psychoanalysis—the work of Freud, Bion, Klein, and Winnicott—is
shared by child analysis, as the contributions to this book illus-
trate. Child analysis building on Freud has continued to grow and
develop theoretically and technically. Bion and Winnicott extended
our understanding of early mother–child experiences and of work-
ing with psychotic and antisocial states. The chapters of this book
offer ideas formulated in a lively and creative way, accompanied by
clinical examples. We can follow the individual authors’ use of the
transference and countertransference, of the concepts of projection,
projective identification, and container–contained.
Michael Günter’s excellent theoretical overview leads on to
Angelika Staehle and Maria Rhode on work with very disturbed
and damaged children. Their psychoanalytic work based on Bion’s
idea leads them to apply the concepts of Frances Tustin’s distinction,
in relation to the transference, between, children who are ‘shutters
up’ and those who are ‘drawers in’. These formulations help them
to work with autistic spectrum and borderline children in a creative
way enabling contact and some progress. The children begin to sym-
bolize and thence to play and speak so that an emotional connection
can be established. Such work requires of the professionals a huge
degree of mental containment and transformation. These chapters
speak to the skill and commitment required and should encourage
others who try to help these children.
Antonino Ferro also focuses on work with very worrying children,
illustrating his own understanding of mind, externalization, and the
emotions. Helga Kremp-Ottenheim and Elizabeth Brainin describe
work with very ill adolescents where the developing body, the body
ego, and gender identity cause immense problems.
All of these authors are working on the edge with children and
young people that might be thought beyond psychoanalysis. They
use their intense, demanding clinical work as a psychoanalytic
‘research laboratory’ to expand technique and theory. The ideas in
this book will be so useful to others working with such disturbed
children and young people.
The final contribution from Kai von Klitzing is a cry from the
heart. While clinicians working with children or adolescents do
acknowledge the importance of work with the parents or car-
ers, they tend to think of the work with their patient as the crucial
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FOREWORD ix
task. But, in reality, working with parents as at least as difficult and
demanding as individual work with young people. The parents can-
not be approached as patients, though their own difficulties may
have become more entrenched than the child’s, they will understand-
ably withdraw, if they are treated in a way they have not authorized.
They must be worked with as parents, respecting the portal of entry
‘via the child’. They need help and understanding for themselves,
of the child, and of everyone’s reactions to therapy. The professional
involved may have to mediate with the extended family, with exter-
nal agencies, and the school. The parents must be helped gradually
to become aware of their part in the family problem, of what they
can contribute to its resolution, and of the possible impact on them
and the family dynamics. The growth of their capacity to disclose
family secrets, to acknowledge their own fear, aggression or despair,
pain, and longing needs sensitive support. This is a daunting task
which requires skill, patience, courage, and a sense of humour and
this chapter conveys it.
This book—the fruit of a conference—will become a helpful
inspiration to anyone working with seriously troubled children,
adolescents, and their families. It also demonstrates convincingly
that child analysis is truly psychoanalysis.
Judith Trowell
Psychoanalyst, Child Analyst,
Consultant Psychiatrist, Tavistock Clinic
Professor of Child Mental Health
Past Chair—Child Analytic Training Committee British Society
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