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Presenter: The patient is an eight-year-old girl. She draws a great deal in the sessions. In the one I am reporting, she drew a house with a girl looking out of the window. There was a road passing the house and two people standing there playing instruments. They were playing some music that she had learnt at school, about a boy singing a song to his girl-friend.
Bion: How does she bring in this music? Does she sing it?
P: No, she explains it.
B: A sort of running commentary on the drawing?
P: Yes. I said, “You are telling me about things you like, such as having a boy-friend, but also something you don't like that you cannot keep”. She erased the girl and the two boys, and then drew a girl sitting in a hammock slung between two trees, and the sun drawn with the face of a person.
B: What about the expression on the face of the sun?
P: It had no special expression. She erased the drawing again and drew small fishes in the sea and a fishing boat. Then a big arch at the bottom of the sea. She said the arch was full of hidden treasure; a thief had stolen it, had run away from the police, and had thrown it into the sea. I said she was afraid of the hidden things inside her, and afraid that I would not understand. She drew a shell and a necklace inside the arch, and a man swimming close to the arch. I asked her about the swimmer; she said he wouldn't find the arch because he was swimming with his head turned the other way. I said she was afraid that these hidden things might not please me and then I would not like her any more. Then she rubbed out the swimmer and re-drew him facing in the direction of the arch.
B: Has anyone any questions before we hear the interpretation? Where do you feel are the biggest gaps in your own knowledge?
M: I think we want to hear you.
B: Yes, I'm sure you do. I would gladly give an opinion but what do you think a supervision is? What is the object of the exercise? If I were analysing this child I would have no chance of discussing the matter with a