From infant observation to ultrasound: The thoughts of a pioneer researcher

Abstract

This is a transcript of an interview with one of Esther Bick's students. Alessandra Piontelli was asked to think what Bick might have thought about the use of video recording for clinical and observational purposes. She was also asked to talk about her own pioneering work understanding the emotional life and development of the fetus using ultrasound. Discussing Bick's ideas about infant observation and adhesive identification Piontelli at times gives insight into what Bick actually thought and at others what she surmised her thought to be. Of her own work she talks about what can be learnt from the images gained through ultra sound and what she observes of the parental couple watching them. Projection being a strong aspect of what she observes Piontelli gives clear examples and her thinking about them. Conscious of being a medical doctor this fact is woven through her contact with patients and others she observes.

Keywords:

• Adhesive identification
• Esther Bick
• fetus
• infant observation
• ultrasound
• video recording

Notes

¹Rosalie Kerbekian and Robert Stein are child psychotherapists trained at the Tavistock.