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This is a collection of essays written by Bergman over a twenty-year period and documenting the origin and development of separation-individuation theory. She shows us how the original research that established the subphases of the development of the sense of self and other in the first three years of life evolved into a treatment for psychotic children and a theoretical framework for the understanding of normal development. For all of this and more, Bergman was there. It is only in reading these papers as a unit that one can fully appreciate the depth and breadth of the endeavor.
The book is divided into two sections: “Theory,” and “Clinical Application: The Understanding and Treatment of Psychotic Children.” This is not only a book for those who treat disturbed children. There is much here that is pertinent for the analyst of adults who is interested in attunement and intersubjective resonance.
The theoretical section begins with Mahler's original research into the dawning of the sense of self: the establishment of the sequence of subphases from symbiosis through differentiation, practicing, rapprochement, and the beginning of emotional object constancy. This is a nice synopsis of the basic components of separation-individuation theory. And it is much more. Each subphase is explored, and its specific contribution to the process made clear. Symbiosis establishes a secure base from which the child can differentiate and move out into the world with both curiosity and anxiety. The more secure the base, the greater the comfort and freedom to invest in the world. The practicing subphase, as an opportunity for just such an investment, is explored in depth in terms of mother-child interactions, play, the use of space, and the role of possessions such as toys and clothes. Interactions set down at this time become lifelong patterns.