Search

The relationship between one's home and its internal representation is a complex one. Imbued with memories of desire, loss, fear and anxiety, these often emerge in the analytic space and wait for interpretation and understanding. The analysts' ability to use their countertransference and explore the patient's underlying feelings often reveals the impact of culture and surround on the patient's contemporary experience of space. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The bombings of the World Trade Twin Towers, New York, on September 11th, 2001, marked a turning point in American history. This paper explicates on the impact that this terrorist act on American soil had on an emerging nascent and complex multicultural identity. Informed by both my personal and professional life, the analytic work with Marianna, a young adult, sheds some light on internal and external factors that contribute to a feeling of safety in a world that feels increasingly unsafe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of digital technology by children, adolescents, and adults is now ubiquitous. Unfortunately, many child analysts have had little training in how to understand and work when their young patients introduce such technology into the clinical setting. In this article, I present two cases describing my work with latency-age children who engaged with me using digital modalities. Separated by almost a decade, the two cases together exemplify how the interaction among technological advances, changing cultural attitudes, and my personal and professional development impacted how I worked with each child. I discuss the importance of tuning into emergence and use of digital technology in the analytic space, which I refer to as the "third reality," which is separate from the child's experiences of his/her inner world and environment. I demonstrate how allowing my child patients to access digital devices and media within sessions facilitated more meaningful connection, deeper exploration of identities, and opportunities for expression and transformation of powerful feelings. I emphasize the importance of these analytic encounters in influencing the developmental trajectory of my professional identity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationship between media and violence is a complex and perplexing one. A sample of the numerous statistics and studies on this subject illustrates growing developmental implications (as in children who view media violence are more likely to be aggressive), socio-cultural influences (increasing portrayals of real-life violence), as well as political involvement (leaders of a nation asking for the Entertainment Industry to not glorify gun violence). Finally, increasing difficulties in discerning fantasy and real life suggests that at an intrapsychic level, a core function of imaginative play (Winnicott, 1971), an essential ingredient of childhood development, may also be further compromised. Yet, although the escalation of violence in and by the media is ubiquitous and undeniable, it is also true that not all individuals exposed to such violence act upon it, nor do they experience all the developmental challenges as illuminated by research data. Furthermore, significant variations in both cultural and individual expression of violence suggests that other factors more pertinent to intrapsychic functioning, as well as group processes, may also be at play. Last, cyberspace technology has substantially altered the playing field for the depiction of violence with some interesting results. These concerns will be explored in this article. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The L.I.F.E. Model (Living In Family Environment), is a model that attempts to create familial relationships, consistent living circumstances, and social/educational support systems necessary to move towards independent adulthood for orphaned and vulnerable children (OVC). In addition, the model addresses multiple losses, grief and related issues by employing attachment and trauma-based understandings to child rearing, while using positive psychology tools to encourage resilience and developmental growth. In the last 19 years, Udayan Care (located in New Delhi, India) through the Udayan Ghars Programme and Aftercare Services, has employed an evolved L.I.F.E. model for the children it cares for (Modi, Nayar-Akhtar, Gupta, & Karmakar, 2014). The model includes a family-like regulated support system, with long-term mentors who are set in place to help the children transition from institutional care to independent living. Typically, this takes place with the children moving out of the Sunshine Children's Homes into semi-regulated Aftercare services and then from Aftercare into the larger world. Given the normative transitions for all young persons, finding ways to effectively support institutionalised children as they transition to independent living is critical. In addition to the normative challenges, undoubtedly, institutionalised children come with a history of trauma and abandonment and often have long-term psychological difficulties that are unique to their population. Many such children end up in childcare institutions as there may be no extended family available, and the options for alternative care settings are severely limited. To understand the developmental trajectories of these children, Udayan Care has been participating in longitudinal research to describe the current and on-going changes in children's trauma, attachment, self-concept and ego-resiliency. This work has provided baseline information on the level and effectiveness of the programmes implemented at Udayan Care, and recommends future directions for addressing the children's needs. This paper explores the needs of institutionalised children as addressed by the Udayan Care Model. Such children have histories of severe neglect and need intensive efforts directed towards addressing attachment issues, affect dysregulation, behavioural difficulties, social skills, education and life skills training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An introduction is presented in which the editor discusses various reports within the issue on topics including child caregivers, applied psychoanalysis and child development.

My psychoanalytically informed work with an orphanage in New Delhi, India, with an emphasis on providing a holding environment, sensitivity to organizational structures, and exploration of trauma and attachment issues in institutionalized children, is presented. Knowledge on both theory and technique are imparted utilizing moments of instruction and focused interventions. The use of technology as an adjunct to training is emphasized and a vision for the future is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

An introduction is presented in which the editor discusses various reports within the issue on topics including child caregivers, applied psychoanalysis and child development.

The article studies the psychology of children in institutionalized setting in a developing country. An analysis of measure of post-traumatic symptoms, self concept and attachment security was done indicating psychological vulnerabilities. The study will be an addition to this area of research and will be helpful in establishing norms for the population.