Extending the field: parent–toddler psychotherapy inspired by mother–infant work

Abstract

Many psychotherapists working with infants and parents have extended their practice to toddler–parent therapy. This paper presents such work, developed from a psychoanalytic mother–infant therapy mode. Like other published therapy techniques, it invites both parent and toddler to take part in treatment. Similarly, it also takes into account the specific challenges facing the developing toddler and his/her parents. Here, however, focus is placed more clearly on the therapist’s interaction with the child, in the presence of the parent. This involves addressing the child about what the therapist intuits are the unconscious motivations behind his behaviour in the session. It also implies speaking about the child’s feelings towards the therapist. In parallel, the parents’ emotional attitudes towards the therapist are viewed as vehicles that may further the therapeutic process, once they are spoken about. A suitable metaphor is couple therapy, provided one bears in mind the differences between parent and child regarding developmental levels and motivations for therapeutic work. The paper contains a detailed account of a psychotherapeutic treatment with a two-and-a-half-year-old boy and his mother. Based on this presentation, the author compares his work with that of other authors.

Keywords:

• parent–toddler psychotherapy
• mother–infant psychoanalytic treatment
• parent–child interaction
• containment

Acknowledgments

I thank Walter’s parents warmly for giving permission to publish the case in a disguised form. I also thank the Children’s Welfare, Wennborg, Groschinsky, and Signe and Ane Gyllenberg Foundations for generous grants.