Child Psychotherapy in the Baby Clinic of a General Practice

Abstract

This article is based on 20 years’ experience of once-weekly work by a child psychotherapist in a general practice baby clinic. Mental illness makes up much of a general practitioner’s workload, with 23% of the population of the UK consulting each year for such problems. Early intervention prevents later problems and this article describes the part that can be played by a child psychotherapist. Where infants are concerned, serious disturbances of feeding, sleeping, crying and difficulty in bonding confront doctors and health visitors continuously. We have found during brief psychotherapeutic work with the families of sleepless infants that large numbers of parents have anxieties about separation; most have experienced traumatic bereavement or loss. A very few meetings from, say, two to five, can achieve useful results. Because the child psychotherapist is available at their family health (or ‘baby’) clinic, ordinary, and also deprived, families have access to him/her. Brief case examples are given. As well as working clinically, the child psychotherapist attempts to support a psychodynamic approach for the primary care professionals. Doctors and health visitors in the community struggle every day, perhaps more than anyone, with body–mind issues. Regular contact with a psychoanalytically trained worker assists them in understanding the emotional meanings of some patients’ symptoms, and the feelings aroused in themselves by patients. As primary care becomes more stressful, it is essential for this work on the practice’s own ground to develop.