Playing the Unconscious: Psychoanalytic Interviews with Children Using Winnicott's Squiggle Technique

This book argues that the squiggle game enables the therapist in most cases to make contact with a child with particular ease. Often, if the child takes up the suggestion, an intense dialogue develops which gives insight into the inner situation, even in the cases where the child is consciously very reserved and in which the talk emerging from the squiggle game seems to be unproductive, the pictures offers a chance to start talking about precisely why he or she shows such reserve.

The book explains the importance of setting up the psychotherapeutic interview situation to be playful in character, making it fun for both therapist and child. The squiggle game makes this easier because it generates a playful atmosphere which nevertheless has a very serious side to it.

Including comprehensive examples from the author's practice, this book is destined to become the definitive source for using Winnicott’s squiggle game in clinical practice.