The Mother and Her Child: Clinical Aspects of Attachment, Separation, and Loss

by Salman Akhtar professor of psychiatry, (Editor), Anni Bergman Anni Bergman, Training and Supervising Analyst, Institute for Psychoanalyti Ph.D Training and Superv (Contribution by), Inga Blom (Contribution by), Jennifer Bonovitz Psychoanalytic Center of (Contribution by), Virginia M. Brabender Institute for Graduate Clinical Psychology, Widener University (Contribution by)

Overview

The Mother and Her Child: Clinical Aspects of Attachment, Separation, and Loss, edited by Salman Akhtar, focuses upon the formation of an individual's self in the crucible of the early mother-child relationship. Bringing together contributions from distinguished psychoanalysts and child observational researchers, it elucidates the nuances of mothering, the child's tie to the mother, the mysteries of secure attachment, and the hazards of insecure attachment. These experts also discuss issues of separation, loss, and alternate sources of love when the mother is absent or emotionally unavailable, while highlighting the relevance of such ideas to the treatment of children and adults.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780765708328
Publisher:	Aronson, Jason Inc.
Publication date:	11/25/2011
Series:	Margaret S. Mahler
Pages:	176
Product dimensions:	6.20(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.80(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Salman Akhtar, MD, is professor of psychiatry at Jefferson Medical College and training and supervising analyst at the Psychoanalytic Center of Philadelphia.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments
Chapter 1: What Does a Mother Do?: An Overview
Salman Akhtar, M.D.
Chapter 2: A Secure Connection: The Tethering of Attachment and Good-enough Maternal Care
April E. Fallon, Ph.D., and Virginia M. Brabender, Ph.D.
Chapter 3: Secure Connections, the Extended Family System, and the Socio-Cultural Construction of Attachment Theory
Christine Kieffer, Ph.D.
Chapter 4: Attachment and Separation-Individuation: Two Ways of Looking at the Mother/Infant Relationship
Anni Bergman, Ph.D., Inga Blom,Ph.D., Daniela Polyak, B.A.
Chapter 5 Mother-Infant Attachment: The Demystification of an Enigma
Newell Fischer, M.D.
Chapter 6: Searching for a Lost Mother: A Parent-Child Treatment
Alexandra Harrison, M.D.
Chapter 7: The Use of Video in Infant Research and Clinical Practice: A Historical Perspective
Ann Smolen, Ph.D.
Chapter 8: Childhood Losses, Adult Memories
Anna Ornstein, M.D.
Chapter 9: When Mother Isn’t There: Finding Alternate Pathways to Development.
Jennifer Bonovitz, Ph.D.
Chapter 10: Before Self and Object Constancy: A Concluding Commentary
M. Hossein Etezady, M.D.
References
Index
About the Editor and Contributors

What People are Saying About This

Leon Hoffman

Dr. Akhtar and his colleagues are to be congratulated for producing a volume about mothers and their infants and children which can serve as a basic text in child development. The authors very clearly and carefully communicate the importance of integrating ideas from multiple perspectives. It is an unusually useful volume for all mental health professionals.

Ruth S. Fischer

Only here can one find such an excellent updated and integrated theory of attachment, separation, individuation, and self psychology. The Mother and Her Child treats the reader to the latest findings from infant research with the welcome addition of observational data, analyses of videotaped sessions with mothers and their infants and with analysts with their child analysands. All of this is accomplished with an appreciation of the dance between the participants. The developmental tasks of the nurturer as well as those of the child are appreciated. Excellent contributions on loss, trauma, and their aftereffects expand our understanding of attachment and resilience. The seasoned clinician as well as the novice will find much to explore in this very thoughtful and comprehensive integration of the latest advances in psychoanalytic research, theory, and technique.

Editorial Reviews

Dr. Akhtar and his colleagues are to be congratulated for producing a volume about mothers and their infants and children which can serve as a basic text in child development. The authors very clearly and carefully communicate the importance of integrating ideas from multiple perspectives. It is an unusually useful volume for all mental health professionals.

Leon Hoffman M.D.

Only here can one find such an excellent updated and integrated theory of attachment, separation, individuation, and self psychology. The Mother and Her Child treats the reader to the latest findings from infant research with the welcome addition of observational data, analyses of videotaped sessions with mothers and their infants and with analysts with their child analysands. All of this is accomplished with an appreciation of the dance between the participants. The developmental tasks of the nurturer as well as those of the child are appreciated. Excellent contributions on loss, trauma, and their aftereffects expand our understanding of attachment and resilience. The seasoned clinician as well as the novice will find much to explore in this very thoughtful and comprehensive integration of the latest advances in psychoanalytic research, theory, and technique.

Ruth S. Fischer