Psychodynamic Work and Mental Handicap: Observations of an Autistic Child

Abstract

Observing an infant increases our understanding of non‐verbal behaviours, interactions, emotional development and emerging relationships. An observational component is now included in the one year course at the Tavistock Clinic on psychodynamic work and mental handicap. This article describes my own personal experience in the hope that it will stimulate interest in such an approach. In working with non‐verbal individuals with severe mental handicap observation is often our most powerful and accurate mode of assessment and we must have the courage to verbalise it.