207: Introduction to Child and Adolescent Analysis
Instructors
Kirsten Butterfield, Psy.D.
Laurie Levinson, Ph.D.
April 28 – June 16, 2025
Mondays, 7:00 – 8:25 pm
No class: 5/26
Co-requisites
Candidates must have at least one case in supervised psychoanalysis to be eligible to take second year courses.
Course Description
The goal of this course is to introduce students to child and adolescent psychoanalysis from historical, theoretical, technical and clinical perspectives. There will be a consideration of how child analysis informs the work of the adult analyst. The contributions of Sigmund Freud, Anna Freud, Melanie Klein, Berta Bornstein and D.W. Winnicott will be studied. With that theoretical base in mind, we will explore the special technical issues that arise in working with children: the centrality of play and the manifestations of transference-countertransference, how meaning is found and made, and the vicissitudes of affect in child analysis. Clinical cases will be reviewed both to clarify the theoretical points and to show the child analyst at work.
Educational Objectives
Upon completion of this course, participants should be able to:
1. Describe how child analysis informs the work of the adult analyst.
2. Explain how transference is worked with in child analysis.
3. Describe the contributions of Sigmund Freud, Anna Freud, Berta Bornstein, Melanie Klein, and D.W. Winnicott to child analysis.
Evaluation Method
Each student’s participation in class discussion and his or her demonstration of understanding of the course objectives and reading material is assessed in a written evaluation by the instructor(s).
These articles are protected under relevant copyright regulations. They are available in the New York Psychoanalytic Society & Institute Electronic Reserve for your convenience, and for your personal use.
READINGS NOT YET CONFIRMED.
I. The Child is the Parent to the Adult: How Child Analysis Informs the Work of the Analyst of Adults
CLASS 1: April 28, 2025
REQUIRED READINGS
Ferenczi, S. (1950). “A Little Chanticleer,” Sex in Psychoanalysis, Contributions to Psychoanalysis, Robert Brunner, Ch. 9, 240-252. [Is the patient analyzable according to Ferenczi? Do you agree? Why?]
Abrams, S. (1988). The Psychoanalytic Process in Adults and Children. Psychoanal. St. Child, 43:245-261. [What is Abrams’ view of Process? What is yours?]
Chused, J. (1990). How Clinical Work with Children Can Inform the Therapist of Adults. In S. Dowling (Ed.), Child and Adolescent Analysis: Its Significance for Clinical Work with Adults, Monograph 6, Workshop Series of the American Psychoanalytic Association, International Universities Press, Inc., 37-54. [How does child and adult work differ? What is Chused’s view of Process?]
SUPPLEMENTAL READINGS
Ablon, S.L. (2014). What Child Analysis Can Teach Us about Psychoanalytic Technique. Psychoanal. St. Child, 68:211-224.
Abrams, S. (1999). How child and adult analysis inform and misinform one another, Annual of Psychoanalysis, 26: 3-20.
Frankel, J.B. (1998). The Play’s the Thing How the Essential Processes of Therapy Are Seen Most Clearly in Child Therapy. Psychoanal. Dial., 8(1):149-182.
Prezant, D. (2006). “Masturbation and Masturbation Fantasies,” Unpublished Manuscript, 1-5. (It will help you understand why masturbation is important in many of the course readings.)
II. Child Analysis – A historical source of innovation in analytic thinking: Sigmund Freud
CLASS 2: May 5, 2025
REQUIRED READINGS
Freud, S. (1909). Analysis of a Phobia in a Five-Year-Old Boy. The Standard Edition of the Complete Psychological Works of Sigmund Freud 10:1-150. (Read pp. 1-100 – to be divided into approx. equal sections per candidate.) [Why is Freud writing about a child? What theory of anxiety is Freud using? Is Freud being Freudian?]
III. Child Analysis – A historical source of innovation in analytic thinking: Anna Freud
CLASS 3: May 12, 2025
REQUIRED READINGS
Freud, A. (1927). Four Lectures on Child Analysis. In The Writings of Anna Freud. New York: International Universities Press, 1982, 1: 3-69. [What is an infantile neurosis? What do you think of Anna Freud’s technique? Does Anna Freud believe kids have transference?]
SUPPLEMENTAL READINGS
Burlingham, M. (1989). Last Tiffany: A Biography of Dorothy Tiffany Burlingham
Cohler, B.J. (2008). Child Analysis and Education the Contributions of Anna Freud and the Kinderseminar. Ann. Psychoanal., 36:31-44.
Freud, A. (1926). An Hysterical Symptom in a Child of Two Years and Three Months Old. Int. J. Psycho-Anal., 7:227-229.
Freud, A. (1981). The Concept of Developmental Lines—Their Diagnostic Significance. Psychoanal. St. Child, 36:129-136.
Freud, A. (1968). Indications and Contraindications for Child Analysis. Psychoanalytic Study of the Child, 23:37-46.
Freud, A. (1966). A Short History of Child Analysis. Psychoanal. St. Child, 21:7-14.
Freud, A. (1962). Assessment of Childhood Disturbances. Psychoanal. St. Child, 17:149-158. (Draft of a diagnostic profile based on consideration of developmental contributions.)
Freud, A. (1936) “The Ego and the Mechanisms of Defense,” The Writings of Anna Freud, II, 1966 (revised ed.), International Universities Press
Geissmann, C. and P. (1998) A History of Child Psychoanalysis, Routledge, Ch. 5
Heller, P. (1990) A Child Analysis with Anna Freud, IUP (an early analysis by A. Freud of a 9 year old boy, with original drawings and AF’s notes along with retrospective notes by the ex-patient.)
Midgley, N. (2012). Peter Heller’s A Child Analysis with Anna Freud: The Significance of the Case for the History of Child Psychoanalysis. J. Amer. Psychoanal. Assn., 60(1):45-69.
Neubauer, P.B. (1984). Anna Freud’s Concept of Developmental Lines. Psychoanal. St. Child, 39:15-27.
Sandler, J., Kennedy, H., & Tyson, R.L. (1980). The Technique of Child Psychoanalysis: Discussions with Anna Freud. Harvard University Press.
Young-Bruehl, E. (1988). Anna Freud: A Biography. Summit Books.
IV. Child Analysis – A historical source of innovation in analytic thinking: Melanie Klein
CLASS 4: May 19, 2025
REQUIRED READINGS
Klein, M. (1932). The Technique of Early Analysis. In The Psychoanalysis of Children, 1954, Hogarth Press, 16-57. [What is Klein’s model of the mind? How does her technique and view of transference compare to Anna Freud’s?]
SUPPLEMENTAL READINGS
Frank, C. and Weiss, H. (1996). The Origins Of Disquieting Discoveries By Melanie Klein: The Possible Significance Of The Case Of ‘Erna’. Int. J. Psycho-Anal., 77:1101-1126. (contains copies of original drawings and original documents)
Grosskurth, P. (1986). Melanie Klein: Her World and Her Work. New York: Alfred A. Knopf.
Isaacs, S. (1948). The Nature and Function of Phantasy. Int. J. Psycho-Anal., 29:73-97.
Klein, M. (1923). The Development of a Child. Int. J. Psycho-Anal., 4:419-474.
Klein, M. (1927). Symposium on Child-Analysis. Int. J. Psycho-Anal., 8:339-370.
Klein, M. (1932). The Scope and Limits of Child Analysis. In The Psychoanalysis of Children, 1954, Hogarth Press, 279-282
Segal, H. (1964). Introduction to the Work of Melanie Klein. London: Heinemann Medical Books. (contains a glossary of terms introduced by Klein)
V. Child Analysis – A historical source of innovation in analytic thinking: Berta Bornstein
CLASS 5: June 2, 2025
REQUIRED READINGS
Bornstein, B. (1949). The Analysis of a Phobic Child—Some Problems of Theory and Technique in Child Analysis. Psychoanal. St. Child, 3:181-226. [How does Bornstein understand and work with transferences, defenses and play? What do you think of the termination?]
SUPPLEMENTAL READINGS
Alvarez, A. (2014). Discussion of Berta Bornstein’s “The Analysis of a Phobic Child”. Psychoanal. St. Child, 68:144-151.
Bornstein, B. (1946). Hysterical Twilight States in an Eight-Year-Old Child. Psychoanal. St. Child, 2:229-240.
Bornstein, B. (1945). Clinical Notes on Child Analysis. Psychoanal. St. Child, 1:151-166.
Bornstein, B. (1935). Phobia in a Two-And-A-Half Year Old Child. Psychoanal Q., 4:93-119.
Geissmann, C. and P. (1998) A History of Child Analysis, Routledge, Chs. 6 and 10
Harrison, A. (2014). Co-Creativity and Interactive Repair: Commentary on Berta Bornstein’s “The Analysis of a Phobic Child”. Psychoanal. St. Child, 68:191-208.
Keable, H. (2011). The Freudian Tradition at one Hundred Years Through the Lens of Berta Bornstein. Psychoanal. Rev., 98(5):723-742.
VI. Child Analysis – A historical source of innovation in analytic thinking: Donald Winnicott
CLASS 6: June 9, 2025
REQUIRED READINGS
Winnicott, D.W. (1977). The Piggle: An Account of the Psychoanalytic Treatment of a Little Girl, Hogarth. (This is a fascinating account of Winnicott’s 16 consultations with a young child, accompanied by letters from her parents and Winnicott’s thoughts about the child’s communications, his analytic responses, and their being-together. I would prefer if you read all of the manuscript, but if you don’t have time please be sure to read: the introduction, patient consultations 1, 2, 7, 12, 15 and the afterward by the parents. It is broken up into 2 sections below.) [Is Winnicott a Kleinian? How does he work with transference, defenses, and play? What is his theory of pathogenesis?]
The Piggle. pp 1 – 101
The Piggle. pp 102 – end
SUPPLEMENTAL READINGS
Charles, M. (1999). The Piggle: Confrontations with Non-Existence in Childhood. Int. J. Psycho-Anal., 80(4):783-795.
Modell, A. (1984). Psychoanalysis in a New Context. International Universities Press. See especially ch. 6 “The ‘Holding Environment’ and the Therapeutic Action of Psychoanalysis,” and ch. 12 “The Transitional Object and the Creative Act.”
Winnicott, D. W. (1953). Transitional Objects and Transitional Phenomena—A Study of the First Not-Me Possession. International Journal of Psychoanalysis, 34:89-97.
Winnicott, D. W. (1969). The Use of an Object. International Journal of Psychoanalysis, 50:711-716.
Winnicott, D.W. (1960) “Distortions in Terms of True and False Self,” The Maturational Processes and the Facilitating Environment , 1965, IUP, 140-152
Winnicott, D.W. (1962) “A Personal Account of the Kleinian Contribution,” The Maturational Processes and the Facilitating Environment, 1965, IUP, 171-178
Winnicott, D. W. (1960). The Theory of the Parent-Infant Relationship. International Journal of Psychoanalysis, 41:585-595. (This article discusses Winnicott’s concept of the “holding environment.”)
VII. Child Analytic Technique: Play and Affect
CLASS 7: June 16, 2025
REQUIRED READINGS
Yanof, J.A. (1996). Language, Communication, and Transference in Child Analysis I. Selective Mutism: The Medium Is the Message II. Is Child Analysis Really Analysis?. Journal of the American Psychoanalytic Association, 44:79-116. [How does Yanof understand and work with transference, defenses, play and affect? How do you do talk therapy with mutism? How does Yanof compare child to adult analysis?]
[Pages 100-116 contained in reading link below.]
Yanof, J.A. (1996). Language, Communication, and Transference in Child Analysis I. Selective Mutism: The Medium Is the Message II. Is Child Analysis Really Analysis?. J. Amer. Psychoanal. Assn., 44:100-116.
SUPPLEMENTAL READINGS
Ablon, S. (1993) “The Therapeutic Action of Play and Affect in Child Analysis,” Human Feelings: Explorations in Affect Development and Meaning, Ablon, S. et al, eds., The Analytic Press, 127-144
Caper, R. (1996). Play, Experimentation And Creativity. Int. J. Psycho-Anal., 77:859-869.
Emde, R.N. (1999). Moving Ahead: Integrating Influences of Affective Processes for Development and for Psychoanalysis. Int. J. Psycho-Anal., 80(2):317-339.
Herzog, J.M. (1993) “Play Modes in Child Analysis,” The Many Meanings of Play: A Psychoanalytic Perspective, Solnit, A. et al, eds., Yale UP, 252-265
Mahon, E.J. (1993) “Play: Its Role in Child Analysis, Its Fate in Adult Analysis,” The Many Meanings of Play: A Psychoanalytic Perspective, Solnit, A. et al, eds., Yale UP, 172-182
Milner, M. (1950). On Not Being Able to Paint. new edition 1990, International Universities Press.
Solnit, A. (1993) “From Play to Playfulness in Children and Adults,” The Many Meanings of Play: A Psychoanalytic Perspective, Solnit, A. et al, eds., Yale UP, 29-43
Wallerstein, R. Lilleskov, R.K. (1977). Nonverbal Aspects of Child and Adult Psychoanalysis. J. Amer. Psychoanal. Assn., 25:693-705.
Winnicott, D.W. (1971) “Playing: A Theoretical Statement,” Playing and Reality, Routledge, 38-52
Winnicott, D.W. (1965) “String: A Technique of Communication,” The Maturational Processes and the Facilitating Environment, IUP, 153-157
Child Analytic Technique: Transference, Countertransference, Enactment
REQUIRED READINGS
Bornstein, B. (1948). Emotional Barriers in the Understanding & Treatment of Children. Amer. J. Orthopsychiatry, 18: 691-697. [What makes a treatment difficult for the parents, child, analyst?]
Chused, J.F. (1988). The Transference Neurosis in Child Analysis. Psychoanal. St. Child, 43:51-81. [How does Chused understand transference with kids? How do our actions affect it?]
SUPPLEMENTAL READINGS
Chused, J.F. (1991). The Evocative Power of Enactments. J. Amer. Psychoanal. Assn., 39:615-639.
Chused, J.F. (1982). The Role of Analytic Neutrality in the Use of the Child Analyst as a New Object. J. Amer. Psychoanal. Assn., 30:3-28.
Fraiberg, S.H. (1951). Clinical Notes on the Nature of Transference in Child Analysis. Psychoanal. St. Child, 6:286-306.
Fraiberg, S. (1966). Further Considerations of the Role of Transference in Latency. Psychoanal. St. Child, 21:213-236.
Jacobs, T.J. (1986). On Countertransference Enactments. J. Amer. Psychoanal. Assn., 34:289-307.
Jacobs, T.J. (1999). Countertransference Past And Present: A Review Of The Concept. Int. J. Psycho-Anal., 80(3):575-594.
Joseph, B. (1985). Transference: The Total Situation. Int. J. Psycho-Anal., 66:447-454.
Knight, R. (2003). Margo and Me: Gender as a Cause and Solution to Unmet Needs. Psychoanal. St. Child, 58:35-59.
Kohrman, R. Fineberg, H.H. Gelman, R.L. Weiss, S. (1971). Technique of Child Analysis: Problems of Countertransference. Int. J. Psycho-Anal., 52:487-497.
Sandler, J. Kennedy, H. Tyson, R.L. (1975). Discussions on Transference—The Treatment Situation and Technique in Child Psychoanalysis. Psychoanal. St. Child, 30:409-441.
Sandler, J. (1976). Countertransference and Role-Responsiveness. Int. R. Psycho-Anal., 3:43-47.
Sugarman, A. (1999) “Transference-Countertransference issues in the Analysis of an Adolescent Boy with Early Loss of the Father,” The Vulnerable Child, Vol. 3, Cohen, T., et al, eds., IUP, 9-26
Winnicott, D.W. (1949). Hate in the Counter-Transference. Int. J. Psycho-Anal., 30:69-74.