When More “We” Becomes More “Me”: Transitional Objects and Forward Movement in Child Psychotherapy

ABSTRACT

The child therapist’s challenge is to remobilize a child’s forward movement after a developmental derailment has occurred. In this paper, drawing on Winnicott’s concept of transitional object and Tolpin’s concept of tendril of health, I discuss how, within the therapeutic relationship, the psychotherapist comes to serve a transitional object-like function for the child thereby catalyzing the resumption of forward movement. A clinical case is elaborated to illustrate how this process is facilitated by a therapeutic stance of empathic alertness and non-judgmental attentiveness.

Acknowledgments

I thank the following persons for their invaluable comments on previous drafts: William Borenstein, William Gieseke, Adele Kaufman, Jeanne Lemkau, Gerald Schamess, Mary Lou DeNardo, and Jeanine Borenstein.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Lynn Borenstein

Lynn Borenstein, LCSW is in private practice in Northfield IL. She is a faculty member (instructor and supervisor) of the Chicago Institute for Psychoanalysis Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy Program (CAPT) and faculty member (Emeritus) of the Institute for Clinical Social Work in Chicago, IL. She has published numerous clinical articles on child treatment. She specializes in consultation with nursery school and day care children.