Margaret Rustin's writing is characterised not only by its subject
matter, which is diverse, but by her imaginative sensitivity to the
emotional lives of children and young people, the depth of her
understanding, and her original insights into the complexities of child
and adolescent psychotherapy.
Here a selection of her work, edited by Kate Stratton and Simon Cregeen,
is brought together in a collection which focuses mainly on clinical
issues and concerns: the dynamics of the interaction between patient and
therapist in the consulting room; the task of assessment; the particular
needs of children and young people whose early development has been
distorted by trauma, loss or neglect; and the framework and skills
required for effective psychoanalytic work with parents. Illustrated by
vivid narratives detailing the strains and possibilities of the
therapeutic encounter, this book is a record of clinical work and
thinking over 50 years of psychoanalytic practice.
It will prove essential reading for psychoanalysts and child analysts,
child psychotherapists, all those training as mental health
professionals in work with children and parents, and anyone with an
interest in deepening their understanding of the emotional lives of
children and young people.