The meeting between Lily Pincus and Martin Buber and their lively discussion about projective identification is described. Enid Balint and her colleague Lily Pincus, both welfare workers, brought a social work ethos and sensibility to the work of the early Family Discussion Bureau. The legacy of the centrality of social work in the organisation now named Tavistock Relationships has been highly significant. Social workers have continued to play an important role in developing the theory and practice of couple psychotherapy in the organisation.