COORDINATING DEVELOPMENTAL AND PSYCHOANALYTIC PROCESSES - CONCEPTUALIZING TECHNIQUE

Throughout childhood and adolescence, psychological growth proceeds in a sequence of progressive hierarchical organizations. Consequently, c hildren are continuously consolidating existing positions or are in tr ansition from one to another. When analytic treatment is proposed, ana lysts often find themselves in the position of being required to techn ically coordinate the requirements of the analytic process with those of the ongoing developmental process. While it is the patient who will ultimately bring the needs of both processes together, the approach t he analyst assumes to recognizing and addressing these needs fan have a facilitating influence on the treatment. Play, for example, is a win dow on old conflicts and impaired object relationships from the past, but it is also a way in which children consolidate existing organizati onal hierarchies. Similarly, the analytic interaction provides a pathw ay to the past, but it is also used by children to provide the buildin g blocks for newly emerging structures. To facilitate further clinical research, a conceptual outline of the relationship between the two pr ocesses is provided.