Surviving Space

Andrew Briggs is Head of Child and Adolescent Psychotherapy, Sussex Partnership NHS Trust, and an organisational consultant with many years experience working with senior managers and teams within public sector and not-for-profit organisations delivering services to adopted children and children in care. He is a visiting lecturer to Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust for courses on public sector leadership and management, and was a former Teaching Fellow in the Centre for Psychoanalytic Studies, University of Essex, and Honorary Senior Lecturer in Kent Institute for Medical and Health Studies, University of Kent. He is the author of many peer-reviewed papers on aspects of child and adolescent psychotherapy and editor of two books in the Karnac Tavistock series: 'Surviving Space: Papers on Infant Observation' (2002), and 'Waiting to be Found: Papers on Children in Care' (2012).

'In this collection, Bick's original papers are accompanied by a series of exceptional essays that illuminate and extend her pioneering ideas - in relation to clinical work, the study of social and cultural dimensions, organizational processes and research. Throughout, this book is compelling and essential reading...to all those interested in understanding the complex world of infants and their families.'- Debbie Hindle, Organizing Tutor, Scottish Institute of Human Relations'This is a most welcome book which gives us a convincing illustration for the rich development and applications of Mrs Bick's pioneering ideas.'- Gabriella Grauso, Psychoanalyst and Child Psychotherapist, Milan'Surviving Space is both a homage to Mrs Bick, and a potent appeal to pay attention to the subtlety and complexity of the emotional experience which confronts us every day in our work. We will do well to read, reflect, and learn.'- Andrew Cooper, Professor of Social Work and Dean of Postgraduate Studies, Tavistock Clinic and University of East London'A book for all those who have always wished that the brilliant Esther Bick had written more. It demonstrates and amplifies her ideas and methods with warm and detailed care. It is a pleasure to read a book which is not afraid of extensive use of first class clinical and observational reporting. Whether as an introduction to Bick and her uncommon insight into the genesis of primitive states of mind, or as a treat for those who have relied upon her work for years, this book is important and should be read.' - Mrs Lisa Miller, Chair, Child and Family Department - Tavistock Clinic; Editor, International Journal of Infant Observation'This is a book to be most highly recommended...for those who lead infant observation seminars and for all of us as clinicians with both children and adults it has a great deal to offer. This book glows with challenge and excitement as we see how far [Esther Bick's] ideas have already been taken.'- Carol Bolton, Australasian Journal of Psychotherapy

• Series Editors' Preface -- Foreword -- The Life and Work of Esther Bick -- Introduction -- Pioneering Ideas: The Papers of Esther Bick -- Child analysis today [1962] -- Notes on infant observation in psycho-analytic training [1964] -- The experience of the skin in early object relations [1968] -- Further considerations on the function of the skin in early object relations -- Pushing at the Boundaries -- Three years of observation with Mrs Bick -- Mrs Bick and infant observation -- The relevance of infant and young-child observation in multidisciplinary assessments for the family courts -- Mrs Bick's contribution to the understanding of severe feeding difficulties and pervasive refusal -- Applying the observational method: observing organizations -- Secondary skin and culture: reflections on some aspects of teaching Traveller children -- Reflections on the function of the skin in psychosocial space -- The skin in early object relations revisited -- Whom does the skin belong to? Trauma, communication, and sense of self -- Failures to link: attacks or defects, disintegration or unintegration? -- Looking in the right place: complexity theory, psychoanalysis, and infant observation -- Endpiece