The Baby as Subject

'This book brings the reader even closer to the baby's experience through the imaginative work of these Australian clinicians, in the way that they have built their interventions around the individual "baby as subject in the presence of the parents". Coming from this perspective, the editors and authors deeply enrich the multidisciplinary field of infant mental health and the discipline of parent-infant psychotherapy.'- Tessa Baradon, manager and lead clinician of the Anna Freud Centre Parent Infant Project, London, and Visiting Professor, School of Human and Community Development, University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa'This volume captures an approach to infant-parent therapeutic intervention where the experience of the infant is central. The infant is seen as a communicating subject with a unique perspective and capacity to engage and use the therapies described. A variety of case examples are used to powerfully illustrate the importance of direct work with the infant and the therapist's role in understanding the inner world of the infant.'- Professor Louise Newman AM, Professor of Developmental Psychiatry, Director, Center for Developmental Psychiatry and Psychology, Monash University, Australia'This collaborative, thought-provoking collection by leading professionals from a range of disciplines is a gratifying work of substantial scholarship and clinical richness. With its singular emphasis on the importance upon understanding the experience of the baby in the parent-infant relationship, Campbell Paul and Frances Thomson-Salo have provided us with a compelling book, which should become an indispensable resource for professionals working with infants and their families everywhere. This thoughtful and humane volume is a remarkable addition to the field of infant and child mental health. A timely and invaluable book.'- Professor J. Kevin Nugent, Director, the Brazelton Institute; Boston Children's Hospital; and Harvard Medical School, USA'The spirit of Donald Winnicott has travelled to Australia and inspired a large team of infant mental health professionals to create a stimulating book of their learning and achievement, both practical and theoretical. This volume should appeal to all professionals who aspire to help troubled parent-infant relationships become "good enough".'- Dr Juliet Hopkins, Honorary Consultant Child Psychotherapist, Tavistock Clinic, London