Making connections: Teaching observational skills to non-clinical students on an MA course in Psychoanalytical Studies

Abstract

This paper gives an account of teaching observational studies to a non-clinical body of students on an MA course in Psychoanalytic Studies at the Tavistock Clinic. The students come from a wide variety of professional backgrounds beyond the helping professions. The differential tasks for students and teachers are described, and these are illustrated by both group material and student interviews. What this shows is that the observational process has an impact beyond the module and the course, and affects the experiences of students in their differing professions, as well as teachers who need to adapt and refine their methods in order to provide effective learning for their students.

Making sense of dementia using infant observation techniques: a psychoanalytic perspective on a neuropathological disease

“…In the setting of Infant Observation, one of the models employed in the teaching of observational skills is the concentric containment model (Edwards 2006). The infant at the centre (and the infantile part of the observer), is contained by mother who is at times draws on containment by the observer, with the outer circle of containment completed by the seminar leader and facilitated group thinking (Figure 1).…”

Teaching observation to non-clinical students: continuing thoughts

“…However they take what they have learned back into their own professional tasks, and into their personal lives. (Again, see Edwards [2006] for examples of how a mediator and a manager in the civil service found what they learned to be of value in their own work. )…”

“…'It might also be called ''reflection time'', but this might suggest a more fully conscious process than what is involved' (p. 38). I continue to be impressed and also moved as to how the 'concentric containment' (Edwards, 2006) of the seminar leader and the group opens up spaces within an observation student's mind, to reflect on both the present and the past, the internal and the external, in what might be thought of as a dynamic reverberation which has its roots in the primal relationship between infant and caretaker, and the vital role of this in the unfolding of psychic life.…”

“…Some of them are fascinated by the idea of observation, some are in awe of the task, some are frankly extremely concerned and worried about their capacity to do something so new and so challenging. I wrote with my colleagues on this course a previous paper (Edwards et al, 2006) about the particular issues inherent in this task, both for students and teachers.…”

Early splitting and projective identification

“…I had previously written a paper with some colleagues (Edwards, et al, 2006) about the different layers which are at work in what I called circles of 'concentric containment': held at the periphery by the seminar leader, and focussing inwards on the different containing circles which originate in the mother's arms held around her baby. In other *Email: judith.edwards@virgin.net words, the holding function (Winnicott, 1956) which gradually enables a baby who feels physically and psychologically contained to achieve a growing measure of self containment over time.…”