Psychic Hooks and Bolts: Psychoanalytic Work with Children Under Five and their Families - Softcover

'{Pozzi's] writing is clear, evocative and allows us to see the work of an experienced and tactful therapist whose insight and capacity to understand the troubled families who come to see her bring about change remarkable in its depth. It is not often we are privileged to share the detailed, intimate and profound contact which these clinical encounters reveal, covering as they do many of the common problems characteristic of this age range. It is only an experienced and sensitive clinician who can trust herself to offer the combination of flexibility and safe boundaries so as to accomplish so much in a brief intervention. Maria Pazzi illustrates her intuition and flair in the accounts she gives of her inspiring work.'- Mary Twyman, British Psychoanalytic Society

'In this book it is made plain that complex and powerful understanding can take place in brief work. The baby's development is carried forward, the family re-groups differently, and understanding brings a change in behaviour.'- Lisa Miller, from the Foreword.'This book focuses on young children as old as five and the parents and siblings who live with them. It wants to explore deep, unconscious connections between children and parents, especially in those cases where symptomatic behaviours develop and turn a potentially pleasant and satisfying family life into hell.' - Maria Pozzi, from the Introduction.This fascinating and comprehensive work is divided into two parts. The first gives the theoretical background to the subject, outlining the main theories of the pioneering Melanie Klein, Wilfred Bion and Donald Winnicott. The second part deals with the clinical cases that illustrate issues such as post-natal depression, separation difficulties, eating problems, bereavement and loss, learning disabilities and hyperactivity. Pazzi also provides a chapter on "Parents' Line" - a form of telephone counselling that she developed to help parents and their children before they are placed on a long waiting list. This is an absorbing volume that will be of interest to all who work with children and families.