Putting my glasses back on: observing the development of a little girl

Abstract

The observation of infants and children is an integral part of the training of child and adolescent psychotherapists. This article looks at one student's experience of a young child observation. It focuses on the development of a 2½-year-old girl, on the cusp of young childhood, as she negotiates her world. Alongside this the paper explores the struggles of the observer as she attempts to establish and maintain her role within the family and thinks carefully about the countertransference feelings evoked and the ways in which these feelings impact on the observer's behaviour and actions.

Keywords:

• observation
• countertransference
• sibling rivalry
• separation
• transitional objects
• individuation