Facilitating transitional change

Abstract

In the 1980s, the late Harold Bridger introduced the notion of transitional change in his work with organisations. He came to see the relevance of the normal psychic processes, observed by Donald Winnicott in children, for changes even in adult life. Transitional space, then, came to refer to the conditions provided to enable human beings to work through the tensions of moving from the past to a future that is only partly known and largely imagined. The individual, self-created representations can be seen as transitional objects, allowing members to express themselves more freely, even those things that could not be put in words, and to learn about themselves, their inner wishes and fears. The context in which transitional space is created may not be underestimated. If people do not feel safe enough to expose themselves, or openness is considered a weakness, the minimal critical conditions are insufficient.